Engineers under the aegis of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering have begun a new engineering innovation competition for Nigerians and those in the diaspora towards promoting infrastructure and technological development in the country.
The move according to the academy would scale up innovations by promoting them to investors and commercialising the products.
While disclosing this to journalists in Lagos recently, the President of NAEng, Prof. Peter Onwualu, said many Nigerians in both the informal and formal sector have concepts and ideas that needed to be taken to the next level, and when commercialised, will contribute to the production economy of the country.
This according to him will reduce reliance on foreign goods and foreign exchange as well as boost the nation’s gross domestic products.
He said, “One of the things you will hear our politicians talk about now is how to move from a consuming to production oriented economy so that the nation can go to the global table with something to show.
“There is a lot of pressure on the Naira because we do not produce or produce little. This is one of the contributions towards making Nigeria a production economy. “
Onwualu explained that the competition was 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.
The Chairman of the innovation competition, Dr.Chukukeluo Chukwuogo, asserted that the objective of the competition was 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 would 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 included 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.
Meanwhile, the technical secretary of NAEng, Bayo Adeola, said it was 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 note of innovations covering a period of six weeks that will expire on November, 27 this year.
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.”
On her part, the Honourary Secretary of NAEng, Christiana Adelowo, emphasised that the concept would be screened to assess the degree and level of innovation, engineering content, originality, and impact on our national development.
SOURCE: PUNCHNG
