A student from the University of Lagos has emerged winner of the Red Bull Basement Nigeria finals after developing a device that can detect illness in livestock before visible symptoms appear.
The winner, Jesutofunmi Oniyide, a final-year mechatronics engineering student, outperformed more than 3,000 applicants with his innovation Vital-Tag, a smart livestock monitoring system designed to reduce losses for farmers.
The device is worn around an animal’s neck and continuously tracks key health indicators such as temperature, heart rate, and feeding patterns. The information is then transmitted to farmers via SMS alerts, giving them early warnings that can help prevent disease outbreaks or deaths.
At its core, the idea addresses a persistent challenge in livestock farming. By the time animals show clear signs of illness, it is often too late to intervene. Oniyide’s solution focuses on identifying subtle behavioural and physiological changes much earlier.
Beyond basic vital signs, Vital-Tag also monitors feeding behaviour, an important early indicator of health issues in animals. By combining multiple data points, the system provides a more complete picture of an animal’s condition, improving the chances of timely action.
The device is also designed with rural realities in mind. It runs on a low-power system capable of lasting up to three years without charging, sending updates at intervals rather than continuously, an approach suited to areas with limited or unreliable electricity.
The win came at the Red Bull Basement competition, a global platform that supports student innovators through mentorship, visibility, and access to international networks. Oniyide’s project stood out for its clear practicality and its relevance to agriculture, a sector that remains vital to Nigeria’s economy.
Although still in development, Vital-Tag reflects a broader shift among young Nigerian innovators building simple but impactful technology to solve real, everyday problems.
