The L’Oreal Foundation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced the winners of the 2022 Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Awards for Women in Science earlier this month.
According to UNESCO, the 20 scientists honoured work in various research fields and are dedicated to improving millions of Africans’ lives.
The award funds will be used to help secure and increase agricultural harvests to combat poverty and hunger, stop the spread of diseases, improve the management and conservation of vital natural resources, and, ultimately, improve the safety of African countries in the face of natural disasters.
The Young Talents Awards are designed to help women scientists advance their careers. It will also advance and strengthen women’s roles in science.
Two Nigerian winners
Two of the twenty winners are Nigerians. Iveren Abiem, a postdoctoral fellow and Life and Environmental Scientist is one of them. She was recognized for her research on “Carbon Storage in the Afromontane Forest.”
Oluwatosin Ogundolie Akinwale, a PhD student in Formal Sciences, is the second winner. She received the award for her work on ‘Flood prediction in Nigeria.’
Abiem will receive €15,000, and Ogundolie will receive €10,000 to carry out their research projects.
Nigeria needs climate innovation
Nigeria was highlighted in the UNESCO Science Report for 2021 as an oil-dependent economy that should diversify its economy to increase revenues and address environmental challenges. According to the report, while Nigeria has devised various strategies to wean the economy off its over-reliance on crude oil, little success has been achieved.
For the record
The UNESCO Science report said Nigeria is lagging in science and innovation. The report highlighted the fact that Nigeria’s federal government approved a National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy in 2012.
- The policy stressed human capital development, intellectual property, technology transfer and the commercialization of research results, as well as the need for the federal government to commit at least 1% of GDP to a National Research and Innovation Fund.
- However, the National Research and Innovation Fund is yet to be activated.
