The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), successfully held a National Stakeholders' Workshop and Exhibition on National System of Innovation (NSI) at Kaduna, Aba and Lagos respectively. The theme of the workshop was " National System of Innovation-A Sustainable Tool for Achieving the Transformation Agenda and Socio-Economic development of Nigeria".
The Kaduna workshop was held on Tuesday, 22nd to Wednesday 23rd January, 2013 at the Conference Hall, Command Guest House, Kaduna, while that of Aba held between Friday, 25th and Saturday, 26th January, 2013 at the Mandela Hall, Hotel De La Paix, Abia State.The workshop in Lagos held between Tuesday, 29th and Wednesday, 30th January, 2013 at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State.
There were exhibition contests at the different zones of the NSI Workshops on Innovation and Inventions and the Grand Finale in Lagos produced the overall winners.
FIRST PRIZE WINNER OF N1 M
BEREKOTY DETERGENT
The indigenous company is based in Iseyin, Oyo state of Nigeria and has been investing in Agro-industrial and renewable energy products. The company currently has eight patents including three oil spill cleaning products.
The company was adjudged on the basis of novel cassava- based oil spill cleaning technology which is very effective and can be applied both in the upstream and downstream sector.
The product has a huge potential for commercialization both locally and internationally, and its application covers a number of industries including oil, food, textile and chemical sectors of the economy.
Upon full commercialization, the technology has the potential to save the country huge amounts of money annually as well as protect the environment and save aquatic life.
2ND PRIZE WINNER OF N300, 000.00
AIR FORCE INSTITUTE, KADUNA
The Air force Institute has designed and produced the AMEBO series of a small Surveillance UAV Aircraft Vehicle, which has a high local content and can be applied in Aerial mapping, Pipeline monitoring , Traffic monitoring , Security patrols and other Security monitoring activities.
The vehicle is currently designed with an H-Tail, and operates on Petroleum Meter Spirit (PIN) and can be air-borne for 4-hours at an altitude of up to 1000m. It weighs only 16.4kg and can be catapulted to location.
The institute is in collaboration with Canfield University in the United Kingdom and the design team is made up of NAF Engineers.
JOINT 3RD PRIZE WINNER OF N100, 000.00
NATIONAL ANIMAL PRODUCTION RESEARCH INSTITUTE, ZARIA (NAPRI)
NAPRI have developed the Shikabrown Commercial Layer Strain for the small and medium enterprises. This is a result of over 15 years of active breeding and selection work in research and production activities, with the minimal funding support from government.
The Shikabrown layer strain has a hen-day egg production of 290 in 72 weeks, an average body weight of 1.9kg and an average egg weight of 62.5g at maturity.
The layer is reputed to have the capacity to cope with the harsh tropical environment and has been tested to give very good performance in all the ecological zones of the country.
The product was officially registered and selected by the National Committee for the Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties and Livestock Breeds since the year 2000, and is of national interest in our quest for food security.
JOINT 3RD PRIZE WINNER OF N100, 000.00
BENSMART TECHNICAL COMPANY, ABA
This is an indigenous private company based in Port-Harcourt. The company has developed an oil pipeline Vandalization Alarm System, useful for combating the incidence of pipeline vandalization across the country and has a range of up to 15km.
The device is based on a Thermo-Transmitter which picks up heat from frictional forces, generated in cutting pipelines, and sends these to a radio wave to create a sound alarm which alerts the security personnel and the community.
The device is of national interest, given the associated losses in revenue to the national treasury, loss of human lives, environmental impacts and social dislocations and the cost of repairs.
Via: Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) Nigeria