AI-powered forest monitoring system developed by Nigerian teen tech trio earned international recognition

At the 2025 Slingshot Challenge, a trio of 18-year-old innovators from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, placed among the top global winners with their project Reforest AI, a tech-driven solution that uses AI, embedded systems, and the Internet of Things to fight illegal deforestation.

Lesley John Jumbo, Bright Sunday, and Blessed Pepple created Reforest AI, a scalable platform that uses edge computing and smart sensors to monitor the health of forests, identify unauthorized logging, and encourage sustainable forestry methods.

Reforest AI uses geospatial data mapping, AI-based anomaly detection, and low-power embedded devices to monitor logging activities in protected areas and forests. Through the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors with a centralized dashboard, Reforest AI offers insights and early warnings to forest rangers and policymakers for long-term monitoring and quicker response.

The team has received a US $10,000 grant and a Top Honors Award from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and the National Geographic Society, which are the Slingshot Challenge organizers, for the project.

“The creativity and passion we’ve seen from this year’s Slingshot Challenge participants is nothing short of inspiring,” said Deborah Grayson, the NGS chief education officer. “These young innovators are not only identifying urgent environmental issues in their own communities, but they’re also developing tangible, thoughtful solutions to address them. The Slingshot Challenge is about enabling the next generation of changemakers, and this year’s awardees give us great hope for the future of conservation.”