LAGOS, NIGERIA – Kike AI, Nigeria’s first intelligent kitchen assistant platform on Thursday announced the launch of the Kike AI Campus Impact Challenge (KCIC) 2025.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), SMEFUNDS, Mr Femi Oye, said in a statement that KCIC was to foster innovation in Nigeria’s food and gas sector.

Recall that Kike AI is modernising Nigeria’s cooking and food systems using artificial intelligence, smart data, and digital vendor networks.

Kike AI can help to monitor and analyse gas consumption in real time, using sensors and predictive algorithms to estimate remaining fuel levels.

Oye said that the nationwide student-led innovation competition aimed at sparking student-driven solutions in the food and gas sectors through entrepreneurship, media creation, research, and policy innovation.

He said the challenge, backed by SMEFUNDS, offered over ₦2.5 million in prizes, a return ticket to New York, and career-defining internship opportunities.

According to him, undergraduate and postgraduate students across tertiary institutions in Nigeria are eligible to participate.

“A call to action backed by purpose powered by SMEFUNDS, this initiative is more than just a challenge.

“It is a mission to empower young change makers to tackle real life problems in Nigeria’s kitchen and cooking gas economy using creativity, collaboration, and technology.

“KCIC is about solutions, leadership, and impact, we want students to think beyond theory, to act, build and shape the future of our gas and food systems,’’ the SMEFUNDS boss said.

According to him, the competition features five challenge tracks, including stakeholder research and mapping, gas distribution innovation, vendor e-commerce and chef onboarding, viral skit and content creation, and policy and strategy development.

He said that participants would collaborate in teams of three to five students and showcase their talents from diverse backgrounds.

The grand prize winner will receive N2.5m, with additional prizes for first, second, and third place winners.

The top individual performer will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York.

Applications for the KCIC 2025 challenge opens on April 28, with a submission deadline of June 13. The grand prize announcements will be made on June 25.