* The SOP is meant to a stream of text without sectional headings, but here in the interest of understanding, we are highlighting the various sections.

I was thirteen when I built my first chatbot—a rudimentary, hardcoded Python script that could answer basic questions about Nigerian history. It wasn’t impressive by modern standards, but to my classmates at a public school in Lagos, it was revolutionary. They asked questions, it replied instantly, and suddenly they were more engaged in history than ever before. That afternoon planted the seed of an idea that continues to grow within me: artificial intelligence, if designed for inclusion, can be a great equalizer in Africa’s development.

This belief has guided my journey from studying Computer Engineering at the University of Lagos, to working on machine learning systems at Flutterwave, to now applying for an MSc in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Edinburgh—a global leader in AI research and innovation.

My undergraduate studies gave me a strong foundation in algorithms, embedded systems, and distributed computing. During this time, I pursued AI-related coursework and independent research, including a final-year project on real-time object recognition for autonomous drones using TensorFlow and OpenCV. I was awarded the Dean’s Honor Roll in three consecutive years and graduated in the top 5% of my class.

After graduation, I joined Flutterwave as a Junior Machine Learning Engineer. My primary responsibility was improving the fraud detection pipeline. By implementing an unsupervised anomaly detection algorithm using Isolation Forest and time-series trend analysis, we reduced false positives by 18% and improved fraud interception by 31% over six months. I also collaborated on a recommendation system for merchants using purchase history and seasonal trends. These projects deepened my understanding of real-world AI deployment, system scaling, and the ethical challenges around fairness and transparency in financial systems.

Parallel to my work, I co-founded an EdTech startup, Learnify, aimed at providing AI-powered learning support to Nigerian secondary school students. We built a simple chatbot tutor that answered syllabus-based questions in subjects like mathematics and biology in local Nigerian English. Though the venture was eventually absorbed by a larger education NGO, the experience taught me the practical challenges of NLP in low-resource languages and the urgency of AI democratization in Africa.

My motivation to pursue graduate study now stems from both passion and necessity. I want to deepen my technical expertise in AI theory, especially in deep learning, reinforcement learning, and natural language processing. The University of Edinburgh’s MSc in AI is particularly appealing because of its rigorous curriculum and renowned research centers like the Bayes Centre and the Institute for Language, Cognition and Computation.

Courses such as Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition, Accelerated Natural Language Processing, and Reinforcement Learning align directly with the areas I aim to master. I am especially keen to work under Dr. Helen Hastie or Dr. Ewa Luger, whose work in human-AI interaction and ethical AI design resonates with my long-term goals. I also hope to contribute to Edinburgh’s vibrant AI ecosystem through hackathons, workshops, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

In addition to the academic experience, I believe studying in the UK will expose me to global AI policy discussions—vital for someone who aims to shape the future of AI in the Global South. I plan to return to Nigeria post-graduation to establish an AI research and deployment hub focused on education technology and financial inclusion. The goal is to build tools that can adapt to local dialects, operate on low-bandwidth infrastructure, and address the needs of millions traditionally left out of the digital revolution.

I bring to Edinburgh not just academic ability and professional experience, but also a deep commitment to socially-conscious technology. Whether training young students through AI Saturdays Lagos or mentoring high schoolers via TeensCanCode, I have always believed in lifting others as I climb. I hope to continue this ethos within the diverse and collaborative environment at Edinburgh.

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the world—but who it includes in that future is still being decided. Through the MSc in AI at Edinburgh, I hope to ensure that Africa is not just a user of AI but a contributor, innovator, and ethical leader in its development.