African Students Develop Water, Recycling and Renewable Energy Solutions
Finalists in a regional STEM competition presented technologies designed to address water scarcity, plastic waste, energy access and agricultural challenges.
- By Danielle Naidu
- October 14, 2026
High school teams from Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Nigeria presented technologies for floodwater storage, plastic recycling, renewable power and soil testing at a regional STEM competition final in Cape Town, South Africa, on Oct. 12.
The finals of the ExxonMobil Foundation STEM Africa Challenge, now in its third year, took place during African Energy Week 2026.
Namibia’s team designed AquaVolt, which uses gravity-fed channels to capture floodwater in the rainy season. The water gets initial treatment and is held in tanks with sensors and smart monitoring. If needed, it is treated again to meet water quality standards before reaching communal taps in the dry season.
Team Mentes Brilhantes from Mozambique proposed school desks and chairs made from recovered high-density polyethylene and polypropylene mixed with discarded sawdust. The team said the furniture resists water and termites, and that it picked those plastics because they don’t give off toxic gases when heated.
Nigeria’s Team Nexora Nexus designed a solar hydro smart grid. Solar power pumps water to a raised tank and charges a battery, and water released from the tank spins a turbine to generate electricity. AI and a smart meter detect when grid power drops out.
Angola’s Team Ixietu developed an AI soil analysis system. A stake placed in the ground collects soil data, and an app turns it into soil correction recommendations for farmers.
Mozambique’s Team Mentes Brilhantes was named the winner on Oct. 13. Angola’s Team Ixietu placed second, Nigeria’s Team Nexora Nexus third and Namibia’s team fourth.
[Photo Credit: Junior Achievement Africa]
