Engineers Under Naeng To Begin Competition To Drive Economic Growth

By Clement Alphonsus

Engineers under the aegis of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering have commenced a new engineering innovation competition for Nigerians including those in the diaspora aimed at promoting infrastructure and technological development in the country.

The academy noted that the move would scale up innovations by promoting them to investors and commercialising the products.

While disclosing this to journalists in Lagos recently, the President of NAEng, Prof. Peter Onwualu, explained that many Nigerians in both the informal and formal sector have concepts and ideas that needed to be taken to the next level, and when commercialised, will contribute to the production economy of the country.

According to him, “One of the things you will hear our politicians talk about now is how to move from a consuming to production oriented economy so that the nation can go to the global table with something to show.

“There is a lot of pressure on the Naira because we do not produce or produce little. This is one of the contributions towards making Nigeria a production economy.“

Onwualu said the competition was open to all Nigerian engineers, scientists, technologists, technicians and craftsmen, and other professionals involved with engineering creativity while prizes for the best concepts will include cash, public recognition, promotion of winning concepts to investors, certificates and plaques.

The Chairman of the innovation competition, Dr.Chukukeluo Chukwuogo, further expressed that the objective of the competition was to identify, encourage and reward innovative works in science, engineering and technology that address and solve societal problems in Nigeria as well as help in the development of the Nigerian economy.

He noted that the initiative would promote innovative works by individuals or groups in any discipline or aspect of engineering, including but not limited to information communications technology /telecommunications, agriculture & food processing, energy and energy transition.

Meanwhile, the technical secretary of NAEng, Bayo Adeola, also explained that it was the intention of the association to make the scheme a yearly event, noting that submissions will be in two stages, starting with the submission of concept note of innovations covering a period of six weeks that will expire on November, 27 this year.

According to Adeola, “The concept note is expected to contain brief description of the innovation and the particular problems that it addresses or solves, societal and economic benefits of the innovation, description of the engineering processes that it covers, the degree of development of the prototype and sketches, photographs, drawings and other illustrations that can aid the understanding of the innovation and profile of the individual or groups.”

The Honourary Secretary of NAEng, Christiana Adelowo, on her part, also noted that the concept would be screened to assess the degree and level of innovation, engineering content, originality, and impact on our national development.