GenScan AI, developed by Mary Brenda Akoda, was on Tuesday in Lagos announced the winner of the NLNG 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation after a rigorous evaluation by an independent panel of judges.
The artificial intelligence-powered MRI reconstruction technology is designed to significantly reduce medical imaging time.
The technology addresses a major healthcare challenge by reducing the time required to acquire MRI scans while maintaining and potentially improving image quality.
The Chairman of the advisory board for the $100,000 prize, Prof. Bart Nnaji, said that the innovation could enable hospitals and diagnostic centres to examine more patients with existing MRI infrastructure, potentially reducing waiting times and allowing earlier diagnosis.
He said that the 2026 competition was particularly significant because the theme, “Innovations in Artificial Intelligence, ICT or Digital Technologies for Development,” was retained from the 2025 edition, which ended without a winner after the judges determined that none of the entries met the required standard.
The decision to retain the theme attracted a record 237 entries, the highest number of submissions since the prize was established.
According to him, the large number of entries demonstrated the capacity of Nigerian innovators to develop technology-driven solutions to real-world problems.
“Artificial intelligence and digital technologies are reshaping every aspect of human life, from healthcare and education to agriculture, finance, energy and entertainment,” he said.
The judges assessed the finalists based on innovation, impact, technical depth, scalability and practical application.
The advisory board chairman said that GenScan AI emerged as the unanimous winner after consistently recording the highest scores across the judges.
He described the technology as directly addressing a critical healthcare challenge by reducing MRI acquisition time without compromising image quality.
“This means that hospitals and diagnostic centres can serve more patients using existing infrastructure, while improving diagnostic efficiency and expanding access to quality healthcare,” he said.
The advisory board chairman said that the outcome reflected the central objective of the Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation — supporting innovations capable of improving lives.
He commended the 2026 participants and NLNG for maintaining the integrity and standard of the prize.
“Your work contributes to the advancement of knowledge and the development of more solutions that can potentially transform lives,” he said.
He also congratulated Akoda on winning the 2026 prize and thanked the stakeholders supporting the initiative.
GIK/APA