Four Nigerian Innovators to Receive African Award 

Four Nigerian innovators have made the shortlist for the Africa Prize for their technical solutions to the problems facing the continent.

The Royal Academy of Engineering revealed this information in a statement.

The four Nigerian innovators plus 12 others from 10 different African nations will vie for the £25,000 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.

Some of the nominated candidates represent Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

The shortlisted ideas, according to the organisers, offer technical solutions essential to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to water, healthcare, agriculture, education, food security, waste management, and energy concerns.

A method to turn acid mine drainage into potable water, a portable aquaponics system that uses fish waste to increase vegetable production, a robotics learning tool for kids, a remote healthcare monitoring system, and an environmentally friendly cooking stove that absorbs black carbon are some of the innovations.

By the middle of 2023, four finalists will be selected, and they will present their ideas and business plans to the judges of the Africa Prize at a meeting in Accra, Ghana.

The winner will get £25,000, three runners-up will receive £10,000 apiece, and the most innovative candidate will also receive a £5,000 One-to-Watch prize.

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The Africa Prize

The Royal Academy of Engineering awards the Africa Prize, which was introduced in 2014, yearly to ambitious African inventors working on regional and global concerns.

It is funded by The Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund and the UK Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.

A special package of assistance, including company incubation, mentorship, fundraising, and communications, will be provided to the Africa Prize shortlist.

Access to the Academy’s global network of well-known, accomplished engineers and business experts in the UK and Africa is also included.

The four Nigerian innovators selected

Chukwuemeka Eze, Electric Mobility – a business that turns three-wheel motorbikes with gas engines into battery-powered vehicles, cutting operating costs by up to 60%.

Eunice Adewale, Smokeless Briqs – To lessen lung problems and mortality brought on by cooking over wood fires, use an environmentally friendly stove and briquette.

Tolulope Olukokun, ThinkBikes CoolMAX – A battery-powered refrigerator on an electric freight bike to help Nigeria’s smallholder farmers transport fresh food products to markets.

Cletus Ekpoh, Waste-to-Wealth Enhancer – To assist informal waste collectors, a four-part recycling system.

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