Zion Tech Hub Research Team SET TO DEVELOP AI User Friendly Model For Cardiovascular Disease In Africa

Oluchi Chibuzor

In a bold move to tackle Africa’s growing cardiovascular health burden, Zion Tech Hub, one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most prominent innovation centers, has announced the development of a user-friendly AI-powered model to assess individual risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This project marks a significant shift toward health-focused innovation on a continent where technology has largely served the business and financial sectors.

Zion Tech Hub, based in Nigeria, has consistently been at the forefront of digital advancement in the region. Over the past decade, Africa’s AI ecosystem has experienced exponential growth, from just a handful of hubs in 2010 to over 1,000 active centers today. However, few of these have focused on healthcare, despite the continent’s increasing health challenges and digital maturity.

Commenting on the development, Founder, Godsent Ndoma, said they are committed to shifting the narrative on the continent.

According to him, “While tech hubs in Africa have predominantly served finance and commerce, we believe it’s time to harness AI for solving our own pressing health issues, starting with heart disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases contribute to approximately 11% of all deaths in Nigeria, a number that is expected to rise as urbanization and lifestyle-related risk factors increase.”

To bring this vision to life, Zion Tech Hub has partnered with top institutions and researchers in the field. Dr. Basil Duwa, one of the Advisory partners and a leading expert from the Operational Research Center in Healthcare, Near East University, with his team are lending their expertise in predictive machine learning models for CVD. Duwa’s previous research has focused on ‘Implementation of Artificial Intelligence Models for Enhanced Cardiovascular Disease Prediction and Risk Assessments’, particularly in early diagnosis and intervention.

The project also benefits from the expertise of Professor Michael Uzoka from the Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada whose work in public health and computing adds a local, evidence-based dimension to the model’s development.

Together, the team is working to design an accessible, culturally tailored AI tool that can assess individual cardiovascular risk. The model will be optimized for use in both urban hospitals and rural clinics, bridging the accessibility gap that has long hindered early detection and prevention efforts in low-resource settings.

Experts believe this initiative could become a blueprint for AI-driven healthcare innovation across Africa, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing non-communicable diseases on the continent.

For one of the leading researchers at Zion Tech, Valentine Onyemeziri, this is more than technology, adding that “It’s about creating tools that understand the African context and empower healthcare workers and individuals alike.”

As Zion Tech Hub leads this transformative shift toward AI-driven healthcare in Africa, the development of a user-friendly cardiovascular risk assessment model marks a critical step forward. By combining innovation with local expertise, this initiative not only addresses an urgent public health need but also sets a precedent for how African-led technology can solve African challenges. With careful planning and strategic collaboration, Zion Tech Hub invites stakeholders, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to join in shaping a future where technology serves the health and well-being of every African.