Can you tell us about your educational background and what inspired your journey into scientific research?
I’m Abdulwasiu Muhammed Raji. I completed my primary education at Air Force Nursery and Primary School, Ilorin, and my secondary education at Kanta Unity College, Argungu, Kebbi State. I earned a BSc degree from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, and an MSc in Polymer Technology from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).
, I am a Nigerian scientist and a PhD candidate at INSA France, conducting research on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), combustion kinetics, and fire-safe materials. My work focuses on developing low-emission fuel blends and eco-friendly flame retardants for applications in aerospace, energy, and public safety.
I am passionate about using science to solve real-world problems and about bridging innovation between Africa and the global research community.
What led you to shift your research toward developing eco-friendly flame retardants, and why is this area particularly important in today’s world?
My journey began during my undergraduate studies in Textile Science and Technology (now known as Polymer and Textile Engineering) at ABU, Zaria, where I first became fascinated by how materials influence safety and performance in everyday life. That interest deepened during my MSc in Polymer Technology at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, where I led research on eco-friendly flame-retardant systems for polyurethane foams. I saw firsthand how traditional flame retardants, while effective, often posed environmental and health risks. This pushed me toward exploring greener, safer alternatives.
Later, as a lecturer at Yaba College of Technology, I realised the importance of transferring that knowledge to the next generation, especially in contexts like Nigeria, where fire safety, material performance, and sustainability are pressing issues.
Today, in my PhD at INSA France, my work focuses on sustainable aviation fuel and advanced combustion analysis. Across all stages of my career, the motivation has remained the same: to create materials that protect people, preserve the environment, and perform under real-world conditions.
For those who may not be familiar with scientific terms like “flame retardants” or “biofuels,” how would you explain the real-life impact of your research in simple terms?
I always say this: my research is about making everyday life safer and cleaner without people needing to think about it. When I worked on flame-retardant materials during my MSc and my academic career at YABATECH, the goal was simple: to develop foams used in furniture, insulation, or transportation that don’t easily catch fire, and when they do, they release less smoke and toxic gases. Materials like these can save lives during a fire while also being environmentally friendly.
Now, in my PhD at INSA France, I focus on sustainable aviation fuel—that is, biofuel made from plants and waste oils that can power airplanes with far less pollution than traditional petroleum-based jet fuel. My job is to test and model how this fuel burns, ensuring it is both efficient and safe.
In short, my work helps create materials that protect people from fire hazards and reduce harmful emissions , all while supporting critical industries like aviation and construction.
How does your flame-retardant formulation differ from conventional ones, particularly regarding its impact on health and the environment?
Traditional flame retardants, especially halogenated compounds containing chlorine and bromine, release toxic fumes and persistent pollutants during fires or degradation, posing long-term risks to both human health and the environment. What sets my formulation apart is the use of a halogen-free intumescent flame retardant (IFR) system made from ammonium polyphosphate, sepiolite nanoclay, and melamine. Sepiolite is a naturally occurring, non-toxic clay that acts as a carbonizing agent, improving char stability during combustion. This structure not only slows the spread of fire but also reduces smoke and heat release.
In short, my formulation offers superior fire protection without the environmental trade-offs of conventional systems, making it ideal for safe, sustainable insulation and foam applications.
What makes your research particularly relevant for countries like Nigeria?
My research directly addresses two critical challenges facing Nigeria: fire safety in buildings and transportation, and access to cleaner, affordable energy alternatives. In terms of fire safety, many materials used in homes, public transport, and informal buildings across Nigeria lack proper flame retardancy, significantly increasing the risk of deadly fires.
Regarding energy, my current PhD research on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and thermal analysis of biomass focuses on reducing dependence on fossil fuels by utilizing locally available feedstocks such as plant oil from Jatropha and agricultural waste—both abundant in major cities like Lagos, Kano, Sokoto, and Port Harcourt.
This approach opens up opportunities for local biofuel industries, job creation, and energy diversification.
Overall, my research is not just lab-based; it is practical, scalable, and deeply relevant to Nigeria’s development needs in safety, sustainability, and self-reliance.
What has been the most rewarding recognition or milestone in your scientific career to date?
One of the most rewarding moments in my scientific journey was being honoured with the Pro-Chancellor Award and named the Best Master’s Student at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), conferred during the UTM 65th convocation in May 2022. It was deeply meaningful to be internationally recognised not just for academic excellence, but also for research leadership and impact in the area of eco-friendly flame-retardant materials.
Also, the school of graduate studies at UTM honoured me with a certificate of recognition for my contribution to research excellence in my faculty.
That recognition affirmed my commitment to solving real-world problems through science, and it came while conducting research on sustainable, halogen-free fire safety systems, which laid the foundation for my PhD work. In addition, I won the 2022 PTDF PhD scholarship on my first attempt to further my research in France.
Having worked in both Nigeria and France, how have these experiences influenced your scientific perspective, particularly in advancing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as the “jet fuel of the future” and contributing to cleaner skies?
My research directly supports the global transition to cleaner skies by advancing our understanding of how sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) behaves under real engine conditions. While the aviation industry is embracing SAF such as HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids), there is still limited data on how they perform thermally and during combustion compared to traditional Jet A-1 fuel. In short, my work helps bridge the gap between lab research and flight-ready solutions, contributing to lower emission, safer fuel use, and a more sustainable future for aviation.
What are the biggest challenges in developing biojet fuel, and what breakthroughs have you made in overcoming them?
One of the biggest challenges in developing biojet fuel is balancing combustion efficiency, ignition reliability, and thermal stability, while ensuring compatibility with existing jet engines. Many biofuels, though cleaner, struggle with low ignition indices, variability in feedstock quality, and sometimes do not meet the stringent standards of ASTM D7566 for aviation fuel certification.
Another challenge is the lack of comprehensive data on how blended fuel behaves under real-world thermal and combustion conditions. Without this, adoption by airlines and engine manufacturers remains slow.
My key breakthrough was identifying a blend ratio (30/70% Jet A-1/HEFA-SAF) that optimises both thermal resilience and energy efficiency, while maintaining system compatibility. These findings not only contribute to refining SAF performance benchmarks but also support more informed SAF blending strategies for commercial aviation, especially in contexts where fuel safety and emission are top priorities.
From your lab experiments to international conferences, how has the global scientific community responded to your SAF findings?
The response from the global scientific community has been very encouraging. My work on HEFA-derived sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and its thermal and combustion behaviour has been well received because it addresses a critical knowledge gap in fuel performance and optimisation, particularly the balance between thermal stability, combustion efficiency, and engine compatibility.
Beyond the lab, how do you see your research influencing aviation policy or environmental regulation?
My research goes beyond the lab bench; it contributes directly to the evidence base needed for smarter, more sustainable aviation policy. By rigorously analysing the thermal stability, combustion efficiency, and emission behaviour of HEFA-based SAF and its blends, I provide data that can support refinement to international fuel certification standards such as ASTM D7566, which governs SAF usage in commercial aviation.
For regulators and policymakers, one of the major barriers to SAF adoption is the lack of comprehensive, real-world performance data. My work fills that gap by identifying blend ratios such as 30/70 per cent Jet A-1/HEFA-SAF, that not only meet technical requirements but also offer practical solutions for lower emission and better fuel system compatibility.
In the long term, I see my research informing CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) compliance strategies and helping shape emission benchmarks and fuel subsidy policies, especially as more countries, including developing nations, work toward net-zero aviation goals.
In what ways can your biomass research contribute to alleviating energy poverty across African countries?
My biomass research is directly aligned with addressing energy poverty in Africa by exploring how locally available plant-based resources, such as tropical hardwoods and agricultural waste, can be transformed into efficient, affordable, and cleaner energy sources.
In a recent collaborative work with researchers at the Institut de Recherches Technologiques (IRT), Libreville, Gabon, I investigated the thermal property of tropical woods of Gabon origin and how their thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and energy content can be optimised for use in rural heating and power systems. This kind of data is critical for developing biomass cookstoves, briquettes, and small-scale combustion systems that are not only fuel-efficient but also reduce harmful smoke emission.
In regions where millions still rely on unsafe and polluting fuel for cooking and heating, my research provides a scientific foundation for scaling sustainable biomass energy technologies, using resources that are abundant, renewable, and locally sourced. Ultimately, this contributes to energy access, improved public health, and economic resilience in underserved communities.
What challenges have you encountered while conducting cross-continental research, and how have you managed to overcome them?
Conducting research across Nigeria, Malaysia, and now France has been incredibly rewarding, but it is not without challenges. One of the biggest challenges has been adapting to different scientific cultures, laboratory standards, and academic expectations.
Another ongoing challenge has been aligning research relevance, ensuring that my work, while globally competitive, remains applicable to the needs of Nigeria and other developing countries.
I overcame these obstacles through adaptability, proactive mentorship-seeking, and cross-cultural communication skills. I also maintained strong academic discipline, which led to recognitions such as the Pro-Chancellor Award in Malaysia and continued research success in France, so far, I have seven first-author publications as a PhD candidate.
These experiences have made me a resilient, globally minded researcher, capable of bridging innovation across continents.
Some believe sustainability and industrial innovation are conflicting goals. How do you find balance between the two in your research?
I see sustainability and industrial innovation not as conflicting goals, but as two sides of responsible scientific progress. The key is to design solutions that meet real-world industrial needs without compromising the environment or public health.
In my research on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), for example, I work closely with ASTM-certified standards to ensure that cleaner fuel such as HEFA-SAF not only reduce emission, but also perform reliably in existing jet engines, which is critical for real-world aviation use. That is sustainability with industrial compatibility.
Similarly, in my previous work on flame-retardant materials, I developed halogen-free, intumescent systems that are safer to produce and use, while still meeting UL-94 V-0 fire safety standards, a benchmark in the manufacturing and construction industries.
My approach is always to find that intersection where scientific innovation, environmental responsibility, and industry performance converge. That is where real, lasting impact happens.
What is the biggest misconception about green energy or fire safety materials that you would like to set straight?
One major misconception is that green energy and eco-friendly fire safety materials are less effective than conventional alternatives, that you are trading performance for sustainability. In reality, that is no longer true. In my work on halogen-free flame-retardant foams, for example, we achieved a UL-94 V-0 rating and a 23% improvement in oxygen index, proving that eco-friendly systems can meet and even exceed industrial fire safety standards without toxic byproducts. Similarly, with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), many assume they are too weak or unstable for real-world flight. But my research has shown that certain HEFA-SAF blends, such as 50/50 per cent and 30/70 per cent Jet A-1/HEFA-SAF, offer enhanced thermal stability and cleaner combustion, making them viable for today’s aircraft. So, the idea that “green means compromise” is outdated. Through careful research and innovation, we can build solutions that are both high-performing and environmentally responsible, and that is the future I and others are working toward.
Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for Africa’s role in driving global innovation in energy and safety?
My long-term vision is for Africa to move from being a passive consumer of global technologies to becoming a recognised driver of innovation in both sustainable energy and public safety solutions.
Africa is rich in biomass resources, human talent, and entrepreneurial energy, all the raw ingredients for leading in areas such as bioenergy, green materials, and localised safety engineering. However, we need to strengthen research infrastructure, cross-border collaboration, and policy alignment to unlock that potential.
I see my work as part of that transformation. Whether it is through my research on sustainable aviation fuel, flame-retardant materials, or biomass energy systems, my goal is to build bridges between global scientific networks and African institutions. I want to mentor researchers, co-develop homegrown technologies, and contribute to shaping evidence-based policies that prioritise both sustainability and safety.
Africa has a vital role to play, not just in adapting to the future, but in defining it.
