NASENI Names 18 Zonal Winners, 6 Advance To National Innovation Finals

National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has announced 18 zonal winners of its “FutureMakers Week” competition, with six innovators advancing to the national finals of the invention fest.

The winners emerged after 60 young innovators, aged between five and 16, from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, participated in live pitch sessions held from 24th August to 27.

The contestants presented prototypes developed during a virtual hackathon held from 17th August to 20th August, with the projects addressing challenges in education, agriculture, healthcare, emergency response and other areas.

In the North West, Ruqayya Safwa Faruq emerged first with EcoGlow Lab, while Ahmad Yakub Isah and Maryam Hamid Amir placed second and third, respectively, with FloodGate Alarm System and Idea Sparks.

Joshua Agboola won the South West category with Pragma Learn. Stephanie Emmanuella Dominic’s LearnS AI came second, while Joel Idahosa Arasomwan’s Relearn Marketplace placed third.

In the North Central, Mary Oluwabusayomi Umahonlen emerged first with the Smart Hydroponic Kit, followed by Jatto Ahmad-Tijani with Smart Solar-powered Hermetic Storage Silos, and Munachi Kalu with Mobile Mini Greenhouse.

Precious Akabude-Odozi’s Velora took first place in the South-South, ahead of Ayomide Daniel Olorunfemi’s Skill-Based Study Hub and Havilah Uche-Aniche’s StudySesh.

In the North East, Emmanuel Paul emerged as the winner with Lafiya Alert, while Zanna Gremma’s SOS Wristwatch and Yahaya Usman Sani’s Community SOS Mobile App placed second and third, respectively.

Ogbonna-Nwota Gold won the South East category with Callisto. Eze Bryan Chinny’s StudyVerse came second, while Angel Echeta Chidalu’s Community Learning and Earning Hubs placed third.

The six zonal winners, Faruq, Agboola, Umahonlen, Akabude-Odozi, Paul and Gold, will represent their respective zones at the NASENI Invention Fest, where they will compete for a ₦5 million grand prize, an international study tour and university scholarships.

Speaking on the outcome of the programme, NASENI Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the competition provided young innovators with an opportunity to develop solutions to challenges in their respective regions.

The Hub Manager, NASENI Innovation Hub, Busola Beckley Perez-Folayan, said participants would continue to receive mentorship, training and access to innovation resources following the competition.

The FutureMakers programme was organised by the NASENI Innovation Hub in collaboration with academic and ecosystem partners, including MIVA Open University and the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja. The date for the national Invention Fest is yet to be announced.