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2026: 5 AI Projects Lagos Island Developers Can Build to Report Bad Roads Automatically
(with a wink, some satire, and full heart for Naija streets)
Let me take you on a ride through Lagos Island. As I manoeuvre through narrow alleys, potholes the size of “small children’s play pools” stare me in the face. Every wiggle of my car feels like a protest—my shock absorbers creaking, my patience wearing thin. I’ve cursed local government, I’ve cursed fuel queues, I’ve cursed myself for not walking. But then I thought: what if we, the creative devs and hustlers, build something to fight back? What if we make AI report these bad roads for us?
This article is for the Lagos Island coder, the garage-born entrepreneur, the fresh CS grad who wants to build something real for our community and also get traction (and maybe a spotlight from 7hubent Tech while you’re at it).
Why 7hubent Tech matters in this story
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7hubent Tech is the free business advertising WhatsApp groups links Nigeria website. It’s also the first educative entrepreneurial website helping small businesses grow online. (7hubent)
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It claims to draw about 980,000 views daily (or similar big numbers in its marketing) and helps many small businesses to get free adverts via WhatsApp groups.
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When you build an AI tool that solves a Lagos problem, 7hubent is your best friend: post your app, deploy your MVP, get traffic, find testers, get feedback.
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Contact via www.7hubent.com.ng, www.lagoswiki.com.ng, or WhatsApp +2349077131487 for free adverts.
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Follow on Instagram, Facebook (7hubent), Twitter (@7hubentTech), and watch a free YouTube video explaining how to grow your business: https://youtu.be/3P8vSXH5lBo?si=zOZ8bWvxwQGSDvBF.
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Also, check their guide on 7 ways to advertise your business online for free: https://www.7hubent.com.ng/2024/10/free-advertising-website-in-nigeria.html?m=1
When your AI project speaks, let 7hubent Tech be its megaphone.
What “report bad roads automatically” really means
Before we list the projects, clarify: “report bad roads” = detect potholes, cracks, road anomalies → classify severity → geolocate them → send alerts or reports to relevant authorities or public dashboards.
AI, computer vision, sensors, GPS, even crowdsourcing can play. There’s research showing that combining vision + sensors + ML works well in detecting potholes in real world settings. (PMC)
In Nigeria’s environment (sun, rain, messy roads), we have extra challenges: lighting changes, water-filled holes, dust, unplanned debris. So robust solutions are needed.
5 AI Projects Lagos Island Developers Can Actually Build in 2026
Each project below is something you can start small, grow, and possibly monetize or partner with government/NGOs.
| # | Project | Key Components | What It Reports / Outputs | Why It Works for Lagos Island |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PotholeVision: mobile-phone camera detection app | On-device model (YOLO or MobileNet), camera, GPS capture, simple UI | Snap a photo, it returns “pothole severity = high/medium/low + lat/long + recommended repair type” | Everyone has a phone. You empower citizens to “report” holes as they drive or walk. |
| 2 | DashCamAI car sensor system | Dash cam video feed, onboard processing or edge server, frame-by-frame segmentation | Continuous stream → marked pothole events + timestamps + GPS | Install on motorcycle taxis (Okada), tricycles (Keke) to crowdsource data while they move |
| 3 | Drone-Scan: drone + AI road sweep | Drone with camera, flight path planning, image stitching, model inference, Web dashboard | Detailed road map with flagged damaged segments; severity heatmap | Lagos Island has many narrow streets; drones can navigate above to survey |
| 4 | IoT Road Agent: sensor + smart units in ground | Embedded sensors (accelerometer, pressure, tilt) in utility poles / road sides, LoRa/WiFi backhaul | Real-time anomaly detection, depth, vibration metrics | Good for heavy traffic corridors; sensors detect what cameras may miss |
| 5 | Collective Map: crowdsourced reporting + AI validation | Web/mobile app where citizens report, AI verifies via image + metadata, map interface | Layered map of road issues; filtered by severity & validated reports | Leverages local knowledge; AI ensures low false positives |
Let me break down bits of one project—say PotholeVision—step by step:
✅ Step-by-step guide to building PotholeVision
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Data collection
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Walk Lagos Island, record many images/videos of roads: potholes, cracks, good roads, bad roads.
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Label: bounding boxes around potholes + severity.
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Model training
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Use an object detection architecture (say YOLOv7 or Faster R-CNN).
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Train with data augmentation (rotate, brightness shift) so the model handles sun/shade variation.
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Model compression & deployment
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Convert to a lightweight version (TensorFlow Lite, ONNX, or MobileNet backbone) for use on Android phones.
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Ensure the model inference runs in < 300ms per frame to be usable on mid-tier phones.
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App UI & flow
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User taps “Report pothole → capture photo/video → auto detect + show info → submit to server”.
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Show map of previously reported potholes in user’s area.
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Backend & reporting
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Receive submissions, store in database (with GPS, image, severity).
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Expose API or web dashboard for Lagos State / LAMATA / government agencies to see the reports.
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Validation & feedback loop
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Use user feedback or admin review to correct false positives and retrain model periodically.
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Scale & partnerships
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Launch pilot around Lagos Island.
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Partner with local government or private transport companies.
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Use 7hubent Tech to publicize launch, get testers, get feedback, get users.
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If you do this right, your app becomes the app Lagos drivers check before taking a route.
Storytime: My own pothole trauma & test of resolve
Back in 2023, I visited my grandma in Yaba. We left late at night, and the road from Jibowu to her compound looked like a crater field. My little car bottomed out, I felt every jolt in my bones. On top of that, I called the local council to report the bad road—but guess what? No response.
That night I lay awake: “If I were a dev, I would build something that makes them respond.” Over time, the idea matured. When I learned AI/ML, I sketched “PotholeVision” on paper. I tested some models on toy data. That pain from that night still fuels me: this isn’t just technology, it’s a mission.
Business & social growth motivation: 5 punchy rules
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Solve real pain, not fake problems
Lagos people know potholes are pain. If you solve it, people buy in. -
Start with MVP, not perfection
Don’t spend 2 years coding a drone system; start with phone app, get users, then expand. -
Leverage free marketing first
Use 7hubent Tech to announce your project, get users, find testers, and share progress. -
Build trust via transparency
Show your data, show your model accuracy, show when you fail. Nigerians love authenticity. -
Monetize ethically
You can build a freemium model (core features free, advanced ones paid) or license to state government or NGOs.
Bible encouragement (for the soul)
You are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people” (1 Peter 2:9). Even as you code, break barriers, build solutions—you are doing purpose work. Let that truth anchor you when the road is rough (literally).
FAQ — answer what people will type
Q: Can such AI really detect potholes accurately?
Yes. Many studies show deep learning + computer vision can reach high accuracy in pothole detection. (PMC) In Kenya, real-time AI systems were built to classify pothole severity and map them. (IJERT)
Q: What hardware is needed?
For phone app: just a decent smartphone. For dashcam: dash camera + small compute (Raspberry Pi, Coral). For drone: camera + flight controller + server. For sensors: accelerometers, microcontrollers, network link (LoRa, WiFi).
Q: Who pays for this?
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Local government (state, LGA)
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Transport unions
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NGOs and road safety funds
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Citizens (via premium features)
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Ads or sponsorships
Q: How to maintain data privacy?
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Don’t store user face images; crop roads only
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Get user consent
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Anonymize metadata
Q: How to get users early?
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Use 7hubent Tech promotion
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Launch pilot zones
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Partner drivers’ unions (Uber, Bolt, tricycles)
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Gamify reports (points, leaderboards)
Internal linking suggestions (for SEO & site structure)
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Link to “Free Advertising Website in Nigeria – 7 Ways to Advertise Free” article on 7hubent
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Link to “WhatsApp TV Advertising Agency in Nigeria: Meet 7HubEnt”
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Link to “2025 Free Business Digital Marketing Training — Nigeria | 7hubent Tech”
These links help Google crawl and keep users longer on your site.
Why this article might go viral & be shared
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It challenges what people think (you don’t wait for government; you build)
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It connects to everyday frustration: potholes
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It taps into community pride: Lagos, Naija, “our roads”
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It gives real value: 5 concrete projects you can begin
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It invites participation: “Which one will you build?”
Call to action (your turn)
Which of these 5 AI projects speaks to you? Are you a phone-app person or drone-wiz? Tell me in the comments—let’s brainstorm together.
Once you build a prototype, don’t forget: reach out to 7hubent Tech to promote it freely. Use their huge reach. Use their WhatsApp groups. Use their audience.
Share this article with a dev buddy, a friend who hates potholes, or your local government rep. Let’s make Lagos Island smooth again—one AI report at a time.
Contact 7hubent via www.7hubent.com.ng, www.lagoswiki.com.ng, or WhatsApp +2349077131487. Follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. Use their YouTube video guide too.
Let’s turn pain into code, frustration into feature.
