A team of University of Ilorin students has taken the top prize at the National AI Justice Hackathon 2026 in Port Harcourt, earning ₦1 million after presenting an artificial intelligence solution aimed at helping Nigerians access legal guidance more easily.
The winning group, known as Team MedLex AI, developed a WhatsApp-based legal aid assistant focused on problems involving workplace injuries, medical negligence and health insurance disputes. The project placed the students at the intersection of technology, healthcare and law, with the team bringing together members from different academic backgrounds.
The competition was held on September 17, 2026, at the Court of Appeal Hall in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The University of Ilorin report said the event was organised as part of activities marking the 80th birthday of retired Court of Appeal Justice Sotonye Denton-West, in collaboration with members of the Rivers State judicial community.
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MedLex AI Brings Law and Healthcare Together
The UNILORIN victory is notable for the problem the students chose to address. Rather than building an AI tool for demonstration, Team MedLex AI focused on a problem that affects people who may not know where to turn when legal or health-related disputes arise.
The chatbot gives users accessible guidance on issues within these areas. Its WhatsApp delivery also puts the service on a channel familiar to many Nigerians.
According to the University of Ilorin report, the winning team was led by Ogunleye Oluwatoyin Folukemisola from the Department of Physiotherapy. The other listed members were Abdulsamod Obasanjo Toheeb from Law, Timothy Oluwasemilore Shalom from Accounting, Atanda Khadijah Mosope from Nursing and Akonedo Osarukpa Naomi from Physiotherapy.
A post by team member Abdulsamod Obasanjo Toheeb also stated that the project received additional recognition for Best Presentation, Most Feasible and Most Innovative. The claim was published on his LinkedIn page after the event.
AI is also moving into public services, healthcare, education and legal information, making projects like MedLex AI part of a growing effort to apply the technology to practical needs.
UNILORIN Students Turn a Justice Problem into an AI Project
The hackathon was built around the theme “AI for Access to Justice: Bridging the Justice Gap in Nigeria.” Organisers invited participants to develop concepts, prototypes or working applications that could improve access to legal information, legal aid, dispute resolution and other parts of justice delivery.
The official hackathon programme listed areas including AI-powered legal aid assistants, court information and case tracking tools, alternative dispute resolution systems, multilingual legal information services and legal rights awareness chatbots.
Teams were assessed on innovation, relevance to access to justice, technical feasibility, social impact and presentation quality. The first prize was ₦1 million, while the second and third prizes were ₦500,000 and ₦250,000 respectively.
For the UNILORIN students, the project also offered an example of what can happen when academic disciplines are brought together around a real problem. Law provided the legal perspective, healthcare-related disciplines brought practical knowledge of health disputes, while the wider team contributed to the development and presentation of the solution.
Back Story
The National AI Justice Hackathon formed part of a programme held in Port Harcourt to mark Justice Sotonye Denton-West’s 80th birthday. The day included the hackathon, followed by a Legal Excellence and AI Leadership Symposium and the launch of a book examining AI, justice, governance and digital sovereignty in Nigeria.
The conversations surrounding the event also showed that interest in AI within the justice sector is being accompanied by concerns about responsible use. During the accompanying symposium, judges, lawyers and technology experts called for human oversight, stronger safeguards and clear governance around AI applications in Nigeria’s justice system. ThisDay reported on the discussions, including concerns around algorithmic bias, privacy, cybersecurity, data governance and automated decision-making.
That context is important because tools such as MedLex AI are intended to assist people with information, not replace lawyers, judges or other professionals responsible for legal decisions. As AI becomes more common in sensitive fields, questions about accuracy, privacy, accountability and human supervision will remain central to its use.
The UNILORIN win therefore goes beyond a ₦1 million prize. It highlights how Nigerian students are beginning to use AI to tackle everyday problems and shows the growing value of interdisciplinary collaboration in building practical technology for society.
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