Ahmadu Bello University Gets €5 Million Grant for AI Microscope
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, secures a €5 million grant from the European Union to develop an AI-enhanced microscope for diagnosing parasitic diseases.
The announcement was detailed in a communiqué published on the university’s official website on Monday.
The initiative, christened MultiplexAI, aspires to advance the early identification of parasitic infections in underserved and remote communities throughout Africa via artificial intelligence and smartphone-enabled devices.
According to the communiqué, ABU’s proposal was one of a mere four selected from 240 entries under the Horizon Europe call themed “Innovative Digital Health Solutions for Sub-Saharan Africa.”
This also signifies the inaugural occasion on which the institution is hosting a digital health project financed under the Horizon Europe framework.
“Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, has etched its name in history by securing a distinguished €5 million grant from the European Union’s Horizon Europe EDCTP3 programme. The funds are allocated to develop an AI-powered microscope for diagnosing parasitic ailments such as African trypanosomiasis, malaria, leishmaniasis, and filariasis—particularly in rural and inaccessible regions.
“This pioneering project, named MultiplexAI, is among the mere four selected from 240 proposals under the theme “Innovative Digital Health Solutions for Sub-Saharan Africa,” the communiqué partially read.
The scientific leader of the project, Dr. Gloria Dada Chechet, a Reader in the Department of Biochemistry and a molecular parasitologist, will steer the development under the Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB).
Dr. Chechet is renowned for her proficiency in tropical disease diagnostics and has garnered multiple international fellowships for her contributions to global health and women in science.
Further insights
The AI-powered diagnostic apparatus will operate using solely a microscope, smartphone, and dedicated application, enabling community health workers to identify multiple parasitic infections on-site without the necessity for centralized laboratories.
The communiqué underscored that this initiative is congruent with Nigeria’s overarching digital transformation agenda and could markedly enhance health outcomes in remote areas where conventional diagnostics are constrained or unavailable.
ABU heralded the development as a “new benchmark for digital health innovation on the continent,” acknowledging that it amplifies the university’s global visibility and positions it among the vanguard of AI-driven health research in Africa.
With backing from the European Union and the scientific stewardship of Dr. Chechet, the MultiplexAI project epitomizes a significant leap forward in the battle against neglected tropical diseases through cost-effective, scalable technology.
