Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University of Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe have emerged English-speaking Africa’s brightest battery innovators winners at the 2025 Energy Transition Battery Innovation Challenge, funded by the Schneider Electric Foundation.
The competition organised by Schneider Electric and Enactus, the international NGO dedicated to inspiring students through entrepreneurial action, has this year’s first-place winners exemplify the ingenuity and impact of youth-led innovation across the region.
The winners were South Africa- BioWatt from WITS University; Kenya- Strathmore University with Afya Cell; Nigeria- Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University with Energiv; and Zimbabwe- University of Zimbabwe’s LithiumX project.
Marketing Communications & Corporate Citizenship Director, English-speaking Africa at Schneider Electric, Elihle Obi, said:
“The Battery Innovation Challenge is proof that with the right support, students in our region can create scalable, sustainable solutions that accelerate today and tomorrow’s energy transition. We are proud to form part of this truly life changing initiative.”
From Nigeria in first place is Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (Energiv, €2000): Converting plastic waste into carbon nanotubes to enhance lithium-ion batteries; second place – Ahmadu Bello University (Cell Matrix, €1500): Machine learning-based smart battery management system to prevent overheating and extend lifespan; and third place – Kaduna Polytechnic (SmartVolt, €1000): Adaptive charging algorithm extending battery life through intelligent charge control.
From Kenya, Strathmore University (Afya Cell, €2000): AI-powered battery health analyser that extends battery life for EVs, solar, and IoT systems; Meru University (E-Waste Management Through Renewable Energy Integration, €1500): Recovering lithium-ion batteries from e-waste for affordable community solar storage; and Machakos University (ChargeAgain, €1000): Repurposing discarded vehicle batteries for sustainable solar storage in rural communities.
From South Africa, BioWatt (University of the Witwatersrand – WITS, €2000): Harnessing microbial fuel cells and efficient circuits to generate electricity from organic waste while promoting STEM education and reducing e-waste; EcoVolt Innovation (University of the Witwatersrand – WITS, €1500): Pioneering sodium-ion and solid-state hybrid batteries using recycled materials, AI-powered monitoring, and community training.
In third place is: Shared by Renewa Fuels (Cape Peninsula University of Technology) & BioGlux (Sefako Makgatho University, €1000 shared). Renewa Fuels: Converting biodiesel by-products into bio-batteries and BioGlux: A biodegradable, glucose-powered medical implant battery.
From Zimbabawe is University of Zimbabwe (LithiumX, €2000): Low-cost recycling of lithium-ion batteries using eco-friendly hydrometallurgy; National University of Science and Technology (Ukukhanya 2.0, €1500): Affordable solid-state sodium–air hybrid battery delivering clean, off-grid community power; and Harare Institute of Technology (PowerPulse, €1000): Aluminium–air chemistry battery using recycled aluminium and organic waste-based cathodes.
The programme also celebrates the continued success of the 2024 winners who have used the prize money from the Schneider Electric Foundation to further develop their concepts, including second place winner, Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE), Zimbabwe evolved their project CaLIX into VoltStep, a micro-battery module capable of storing the low-voltage current generated from piezoelectric sensors. This is a commercially viable, socially impactful enterprise.
Within its first year, the project sold 8,070 pairs of VoltStep shoes, generating USD 104,910 in revenue, provided reliable lighting access for 892 rural students by extending study hours, produced over 900 kWh of renewable kinetic energy, and reduced household lighting costs by up to 65 per cent. This project also helped earn them second place in the 2025 Enactus World Cup.
The winning team, Afterlife from Kenya, provides second life applications by repurposing and recycling worn out batteries. They also won other awards with their solution like the “Power the Community 2025 International Design Competition” and is now a registered company who also joined the Emerging Circular Leaders programme, sparking national conversations on circular economy innovation.
From Nigeria, originally launched as Repo during the challenge which won third place, the project has evolved into Ecovolt—a scalable clean energy solution made from recycled e-waste. Ecovolt powers household appliances and small businesses created 20 youth jobs and sold 40 units, with 55 more on order currently.
