Nigerian Engineers begin innovation competition to promote infrastructure devt

In order to promote infrastructure and technological development in the country, professionals under the auspices of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAEng), have commenced a new engineering innovation competition for Nigerians and those in the diaspora. The move is aimed at scaling up innovations in the country by promoting them to investors and commercialising the products. Speaking to journalists in Lagos, the President of NAEng, Prof. Peter Onwualu, said many Nigerians in both the informal and formal sector have concepts and idea that needs to be taken to the next level, with commercialisation to be able to contribute to the production economy of the country, reduce reliance on foreign goods and foreign exchange as well as boost the nation’s gross domestic products. According to him, “One of the things people would hear the politicians talk about now is how to move from a consumption to production oriented economy so that the nation can go to the global table with something to show. Besides, he said, there has been a lot of pressure on the Naira because the country does not produce or produce little, explaining that the innovation competition was one of the contributions towards making Nigeria a production economy. According to Onwualu, the competition is open to all Nigerian engineers, scientists, technologists, technicians and craftsmen, and other professionals involved with engineering creativity while prizes for the best concepts will include cash, public recognition, promotion of winning concepts to investors, certificates and plaques. Chairman of the innovation competition, Dr.Chukukeluo Chukwuogo, argued that the objective of the competition is to identify, encourage and reward innovative works in science, engineering and technology that address and solve societal problems in Nigeria as well as help in the development of the Nigerian economy . According to him, the initiative will promote innovative works by individuals or groups in any discipline or aspect of engineering, including but not limited to information communications technology /telecommunications, agriculture & food processing, energy and energy transition. Others, he said include renewables, infrastructure development, health & health management, waste management and environmental protection, transportation, mining and mineral processing, artificial intelligence and robotics, climate change and related ecological challenges and manufacturing. The technical secretary of NAEng, Bayo Adeola, said it is the intention of the association to make the scheme a yearly event, adding that submissions will be in two stages, starting with the submission of concept notes of innovations covering a period of six weeks that will expire on November 27 this year. Mr. Adeola said: “The concept note is expected to contain brief description of the innovation and the particular problems that it addresses or solves, societal and economic benefits of the innovation, description of the engineering processes that it covers, the degree of development of the prototype and sketches, photographs, drawings and other illustrations that can aid the understanding of the innovation and profile of the individual or groups.” He added that: “Only participants who are shortlisted from stage 1 will proceed to stage 2, which is the submission of full proposal. Participants who are shortlisted from Stage one will be given three months to further develop their innovations for stage two of the competition. “Details for stage two submissions will be provided at the end of stage one. This stage will run from January to March 2024. “The public announcement of the winner(s) of the competition shall be made in the middle of 2024.” On her part, honorary secretary of NAEng, Mrs. Christiana Adelowo, emphasised that the concept will be screened to assess the degree and level of innovation, engineering content, originality, and impact on our national development. READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE