AI app boosts care in Africa

Exeter-based AI company digiLab has partnered with healthtech startup KOYO to improve access to reliable healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa, starting with Nigeria.

digiLab is an expert-led business, founded by leading academics and engineers in Exeter with specialist knowledge in artificial intelligence for high-stakes decisions. Its technology is built with safety, transparency, and trust at the forefront.

Unlike many AI systems that deliver opaque “black box” results, digiLab’s platform shows how it reaches its conclusions. This allows doctors and regulators to check and validate decisions, making digital healthcare safer and more reliable.

The partnership with KOYO applies this expertise to one of the world’s most urgent health challenges. Nigeria faces a shortfall of over 200,000 doctors and an estimated 125,000 preventable child deaths each year from illnesses such as malaria.

KOYO Navigate, launching this month in Abuja, combines digiLab’s explainable AI with medical oversight to guide users on when and where to seek care.

The platform is aimed at families and working women in urban and peri-urban areas, where misinformation and limited access to doctors are major obstacles.

Early results have been encouraging:

• 84% of users rated the app 4 out of 5 or higher

• 91% said they would be disappointed if they could no longer use it

• 100% agreed it would benefit mothers

Users also described feeling more comfortable raising sensitive issues, such as maternal or mental health concerns, through the app than in traditional clinics.

KOYO Navigate’s Alpha launch introduces faster response times, 24/7 access, and media upload options.

It is currently available in English, Pidgin, and French, with Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo to follow. Longer term, digiLab’s AI will power real-time multilingual support, helping to build a scalable and inclusive healthcare model across Africa.