A team of secondary school students in Borno State has developed a home-grown humanoid robot designed to support teaching and learning, particularly in underserved, remote and insecurity-affected communities across the Northeast.
The innovation, named “Max Zulum” in honour of Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, was unveiled on Tuesday during the graduation ceremony of the “Empowering Ideas, Empowering Communities” Artificial Intelligence Bootcamp and Data Analytics Fellowship in Maiduguri.
The six-month programme was funded by Maxzeeton Technology with support from the Borno State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency, equipping students with practical skills in coding, robotics, artificial intelligence and data analytics before challenging them to develop technology-based solutions to local problems.
AI-powered classroom assistant
The students, drawn from six secondary schools across Borno State, collaborated to design and build the humanoid robot, which they say can serve as an intelligent classroom assistant capable of teaching pupils independently.
According to the developers, the robot is designed to provide step-by-step explanations to learners, particularly in mathematics and science, making it useful both in schools and for home learning.
Speaking during the unveiling, the Managing Director of Maxzeeton Technology described the project as proof that young Nigerians can compete globally in emerging technologies when given the right opportunities.
“After just six months of intensive training, our students have turned theory into a functional prototype that can support pupils both at home and in the classroom,” he said.
He noted that the robot represents more than a technological achievement.
“The humanoid robot stands as a symbol of local technological advancement, self-reliance and the growing potential of home-grown solutions in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.”
The company also announced the admission of 100 additional young people into its Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Fellowship Programme to prepare them for careers in the global digital economy.
Built for learning in difficult environments
Executive Secretary of BICTDA, Engr. Kabir Wanori, described the project as a milestone in the state’s digital transformation agenda.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at developing young innovators capable of creating practical solutions to challenges facing education, agriculture, healthcare and industry.
“Max Zulum is the first of what we hope will be many locally crafted solutions, not just for education but also for agriculture, health and industry,” Wanori said.
He added that the agency would continue supporting the students through advanced training and expose their innovations to international platforms for greater recognition and collaboration.
How the robot works
One of the student developers, Al-Mustapha Kabir Matazu, explained that Max Zulum stands about 1.2 metres tall and features an interactive display screen embedded in its chest alongside a speaker and microphone system that enables two-way voice communication.
Powered by a custom-built artificial intelligence engine, the robot can recognise spoken questions, particularly complex mathematics and science problems, before responding with verbal explanations and visual, step-by-step solutions displayed on its screen.
During a live demonstration, the robot successfully answered mathematical questions by breaking each problem into simple stages, adapting its teaching pace to the learner’s responses.
“The training took us from basic coding to advanced AI development, and that journey made this robot possible,” Matazu said.
“The robot is a practical solution to a real educational challenge.”
Innovation inspired by insecurity
Another participant, Fatima Abdulrahman, who received the bootcamp’s Innovation Award, said the programme had transformed her understanding of technology and its role in solving community problems.
“I now see a future where I can build tools that keep our children learning, even when classrooms are unsafe,” she said.
Addressing teacher shortages
The innovation comes at a time when Borno’s education sector continues to face significant challenges arising from years of insurgency, displacement and shortages of qualified teachers.
With many schools in conflict-affected communities struggling to maintain adequate staffing, intelligent teaching assistants such as Max Zulum could help bridge learning gaps by providing supplementary instruction where teachers are unavailable.
According to official data from the Federal Ministry of Education’s Annual School Census, Borno State has an average learner-to-teacher ratio of 46 students per teacher. However, reports by organisations such as UNICEF indicate that in some remote and conflict-affected communities, the ratio has historically exceeded 120 pupils per teacher, highlighting the urgent need for innovative education solutions.
The unveiling of Max Zulum marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s growing artificial intelligence ecosystem and demonstrates how locally developed technology can be harnessed to improve education, particularly in communities affected by insecurity.
