Two pioneering Nigerian solutions—Com-WATCH and RxBot—have been named among eight global finalists for the prestigious Trinity Challenge, an international competition aimed at tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through data-driven innovations.
Announced on Tuesday, the Trinity Challenge is backed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust alongside global partners. The competition recognises groundbreaking tools that address the urgent problems of substandard antibiotics and weak supply chain systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
From a competitive pool of 171 entries across 51 countries, Nigeria’s entries stood out:
-
Com-WATCH leverages community-sourced data to track antibiotic inventories and identify counterfeit drugs.
-
RxBot is a multilingual, WhatsApp-based platform designed to monitor and report substandard and falsified antibiotics in high-risk communities.
The selected finalists will compete for a £1 million prize pool, with winners to be announced on August 20.
Nigeria is joined by other African nations in the final round, including Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, showcasing a continental push to improve antibiotic access and safety. The shortlisted projects range from AI-powered pharmacy solutions to paper-based diagnostic tools linked with mobile apps.
Sally Davies, UK Special Envoy on AMR and Chair of the Trinity Challenge, underlined the gravity of the crisis:
“We are in the middle of an antibiotic emergency. The shortage of effective antibiotics and the widespread use of counterfeit drugs are accelerating resistance, particularly in vulnerable communities. These finalists prove that innovation can change the course.”
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), AMR-related complications are responsible for millions of deaths each year, with projections showing a potential 39 million fatalities in the next 25 years if the trend is not addressed. Countries like Nigeria bear a disproportionate burden, with nearly three million annual deaths linked to treatable bacterial infections.
Health professionals have consistently raised concerns over the circulation of fake or poor-quality antibiotics, particularly in underserved rural areas. These ineffective drugs not only fail to cure infections but also fuel resistance, making future treatments less effective.
Chika Eze, an Abuja-based AMR researcher, lauded the Nigerian innovations:
“Tools like RxBot are vital. Real-time surveillance empowers communities to demand and access effective treatments.”
The Trinity Challenge was originally launched in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the need for stronger global health preparedness and resilient surveillance systems.
