Augustine University Wins ₦500,000 Grand Prize at PAU Hackathon 3.0

Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Lagos State, has emerged overall winner at the Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) Hackathon 3.0, securing the grand prize of ₦500,000 in a 24-hour artificial intelligence-focused technology competition held from Friday, October 23, to Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the university’s main campus.

The competition was organised by the Tech Innovation Club of Pan-Atlantic University in partnership with Zenith Bank and Pan-Atlantic University. It brought together 10 teams from different institutions to develop innovative, technology-driven solutions to real-world challenges under the theme, “Re-imagining the AI Digital Native Universe.”

Augustine University’s winning team, Syntax, impressed the judges with CheckAM, a product verification system designed to help Nigerians identify genuine products and protect themselves against counterfeit goods.

CheckAM focuses on verifying the authenticity of products, including food, beverages, medicines and cosmetics. The system checks product information against databases associated with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP).

It also uses an artificial intelligence agent to search online for additional confirmation of a product’s existence.

The innovation addresses growing concerns about counterfeit products in Nigeria and demonstrates the potential of artificial intelligence to strengthen consumer protection, improve access to product information and support informed purchasing decisions.

During the final presentations, participating teams were required to demonstrate functional prototypes, present pitch decks and provide evidence of their projects’ originality.

Syntax’s presentation, alongside that of another Augustine University team, Summit, received an enthusiastic response and drew applause from the audience.

Summit presented NATION OS, a web application designed to promote transparency and accountability in public spending by enabling citizens to track government project