…UniJos, FUA Makurdi take second, third positions
ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, YENAGOA
Cross River University of Technology (CRUT) has emerged the overall champion of the Nigerian Content Science and Technology Innovation Challenge (STIC), winning the star prize of N10m.
The contest sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and implemented by Enactus Nigeria Limited, saw the University of Jos clinching second position with a prize of N4m and the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, taking the third position, winning a cash prize of N1.5m.
The CRUT, with team name, DC Solar Element Stove, showcased its manufactured stove that is alternative for renewable, environmentally-friendly and cheaper alternative for cooking.
Teams from six universities emerged among the six finalists in the first-ever Nigerian Content STIC. The six winners – two from each region include University of Jos and the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, for the Northern region; the Cross River University of Technology and Federal University of Technology, Owerri for the Eastern/Southern region; and for the Western region, Tai Solarin University of Education and Anchor University, Lagos.
The successful teams emerged from the 15 groups that competed at the regional finals held at the University of Abuja for the Northern zone, NCDMB Towers, Yenagoa for the Southern/Eastern and Covenant University Ota for the Western regional competitions.
Each of the 15 teams that had earlier emerged as semi-finalists were given a grant of Five Hundred Thousand Naira by the NCDMB, to develop functional prototypes of their ideas. In each of the regions, six astute multidisciplinary professionals from Engineering, business development and strategy served as judges to shortlist the fifteen to six.
At the event that took place yesterday at the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri, Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Simbi Wabote, Country Director, Enactus Nigeria, Michael Ajayi, and many professors and academics were in attendance.