From a personal encounter with the devastating consequences of delayed diagnosis to winning a $100,000 national science prize, Nigerian researcher Mary-Brenda Akoda is developing artificial intelligence technology that could help hospitals conduct MRI scans faster, ease diagnostic delays and expand access to medical imaging.

For patients waiting for a medical diagnosis, time can mean more than convenience. It can determine how quickly treatment begins, how long a family remains uncertain about a loved one’s condition and, in some emergencies, whether an opportunity for timely intervention is missed.

For Nigerian artificial intelligence researcher Mary-Brenda Akoda, the consequences of delayed medical diagnosis became painfully personal when an elderly relative suffered a stroke and needed an urgent scan. The lengthy procedures surrounding access to imaging, followed by the relative’s death, helped inspire her determination to develop technology that could make medical imaging faster.

That experience would become a driving force behind GenScan AI, a medical technology venture developing artificial intelligence software designed to accelerate Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

In September 2026, Akoda’s work earned her the Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, a $100,000 award sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG). She became the first woman and the first millennial to win the prize as an individual recipient, marking a significant milestone in the award’s history.

Her achievement is not simply a story about a woman winning a major science award. It is about a Nigerian scientist working to translate advanced research into a practical healthcare solution, with potential implications for patients and medical facilities in Nigeria and beyond.

According to reporting by the News Agency of Nigeria, Akoda explained that GenScan AI was developed in response to delays in medical diagnosis associated with limited MRI scanners, the high cost of equipment and lengthy scanning procedures.

For a country seeking to improve access to specialised healthcare, the question is whether technology can help hospitals do more with the resources they already have.

An innovation designed to save time

MRI is an important medical imaging technique used to examine internal organs, the brain, the spinal cord and other parts of the body. It helps clinicians investigate a wide range of conditions, including neurological disorders, injuries and certain cancers.

However, MRI examinations can take considerable time, depending on the body part being examined, the sequences required and the patient’s condition. Limited scanner availability and long waiting lists can add to the challenge.

Akoda’s GenMRI technology, developed under GenScan AI and also associated with the name C-MORE, uses artificial intelligence to reconstruct MRI images from substantially fewer data acquisitions.

The technology is designed to reduce the time needed to acquire MRI scans by up to 90 per cent without requiring hospitals to purchase new MRI machines.

According to the official Nigeria Prizes website, a scan that would ordinarily take 20 minutes could potentially be reduced to approximately two minutes. The actual time savings will depend on the examination and the technology’s eventual clinical application.

The potential benefit is significant. If a diagnostic centre can complete examinations more quickly while maintaining the necessary image quality, it may be able to accommodate more patients using existing equipment.

For patients who struggle to remain still for prolonged periods, including some children and older people, shorter examinations could also make the scanning experience less demanding.

Nevertheless, the technology’s potential should be distinguished from established clinical outcomes. Faster imaging must still produce images that radiologists can interpret reliably, and its benefits must be demonstrated through appropriate clinical evaluation.

From computer science to medical innovation

Born and raised in Calabar, Akoda developed her expertise through academic training and professional experience in computer science and artificial intelligence.

She graduated with First-Class Honours in Computer Science from Goldsmiths, University of London, and obtained a Master of Research with Distinction in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from Imperial College London. She was also a Google DeepMind Scholar.

Her professional experience includes working as a software engineer and artificial intelligence researcher at Microsoft, including its Mixed Reality and AI Research Lab in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

These experiences provided a foundation for her work at the intersection of computing, machine learning and practical problem-solving.

Her research at Imperial College London focused on deep generative models for MRI reconstruction. The work explored how artificial intelligence could help reconstruct medical images from less data, reducing the time needed to acquire scans.

Rather than treating artificial intelligence as an abstract technological breakthrough, Akoda has sought to apply it to a problem with direct consequences for healthcare delivery.

The establishment of GenScan AI in January 2026 marked a further step towards translating that research into a product intended for use by healthcare institutions.

According to her official profile on the Nigeria Prizes website, the company’s work includes retrospective evaluation using more than 8,800 MRI images and a preliminary independent, blinded assessment by a UK National Health Service consultant radiologist. The profile reports that the images assessed were judged diagnostically equivalent to conventional MRI images.

These are encouraging development milestones, but they do not, by themselves, establish that the technology is ready for routine clinical use across different hospitals, scanners and patient populations.

A breakthrough with implications for Nigeria

For Nigeria, the significance of GenMRI extends beyond the technical achievement.

Access to specialised diagnostic services remains an important concern for a healthcare system where equipment, maintenance, staffing and the cost of investigations can affect when patients receive care.

A technology capable of improving the utilisation of existing MRI machines could help address part of this challenge, particularly if it proves safe, reliable and affordable.

The innovation could also offer an alternative to relying exclusively on the purchase of additional expensive equipment to expand imaging capacity.

However, faster scans alone will not resolve every barrier to diagnosis. Patients must still be able to afford investigations, reach facilities, obtain clinical interpretation and access appropriate treatment. Hospitals also need trained radiographers, radiologists, reliable electricity, maintenance support and functioning referral systems.

The wider impact of GenMRI will therefore depend not only on its technical performance but also on how effectively it can be integrated into healthcare systems.

For a Nigerian-developed innovation to benefit patients at scale, regulatory approval, clinical validation, institutional partnerships and sustainable financing will be essential.

Recognition and the work ahead

Akoda’s selection as the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation winner followed an evaluation process involving 237 entries, according to BusinessDay and the prize organisers.

The award recognised the potential of her work to address a practical problem through scientific innovation.

Her wider record also reflects an interest in applying technology to social challenges. Before developing GenMRI, she worked on artificial intelligence research for diabetic retinopathy detection, an area concerned with identifying signs of diabetic eye disease that can lead to preventable vision loss.

She has also co-founded Nkanda, an African language technology initiative focused on developing digital tools to preserve and promote indigenous African languages. In addition, she authored Amazing Matriarchs: Mothers of Invention, a children’s book celebrating women inventors.

Together, these projects illustrate a career spanning healthcare, language technology, entrepreneurship and efforts to inspire younger generations to engage with science.

But the next stage of GenScan AI’s development will be crucial.

In October 2026, Akoda indicated that the company was working towards deployment in Nigeria and the United Kingdom in the second half of 2027. Reports also indicate that discussions with regulators and healthcare institutions are ongoing as the company pursues clinical validation and the approvals needed for adoption.

That timeline remains a target rather than a guarantee. The technology must pass the necessary regulatory and clinical requirements before it can be used routinely in healthcare settings.

The company’s ability to secure funding, establish partnerships with hospitals and demonstrate consistent performance will help determine whether its research translates into a widely available medical tool.

Inspiring more women to lead in science and technology

Akoda’s achievement also carries a message for Nigerian girls and young women considering careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Women remain underrepresented in many areas of technology and scientific leadership. Stories of women developing original solutions to complex problems can help challenge the perception that advanced research and innovation are beyond their reach.

Her journey shows how skills in computer science and artificial intelligence can be applied to healthcare, while highlighting the importance of education, research opportunities, mentorship and access to the resources needed to turn an idea into a viable product.

For aspiring female scientists, her work offers an example of how personal experiences can inspire research questions that have broader social relevance.

But celebrating individual achievement should go hand in hand with examining the systems that make innovation possible. Universities, research institutions, investors, government agencies and healthcare providers all have a role to play in supporting women who want to develop and commercialise scientific solutions.

Nigeria’s ability to benefit from the talents of its women will depend in part on whether promising researchers can access sustained funding, suitable laboratories, technical collaborators and opportunities to test their innovations in real-world settings.

Beyond the award

Mary-Brenda Akoda’s story brings together personal loss, scientific curiosity and the ambition to improve healthcare through technology.

Her award-winning innovation has the potential to make MRI services more efficient without requiring new scanners. Yet its ultimate value will be determined by evidence of clinical performance, successful regulatory approval, affordability and access for the patients who need it.

For Nigeria, the challenge now is to help promising homegrown innovations move beyond recognition and into practical use.

If GenMRI fulfils its promise, it could become an example of how Nigerian research can contribute to solving healthcare challenges at home and internationally.

For Akoda, the journey from research to real-world impact is still unfolding. The most important milestone will not be the award itself, but whether the technology eventu

ally helps healthcare professionals deliver timely, reliable diagnoses to more patients.