Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), under the leadership of Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph I. Ikechebelu, has won the first prize in the innovative tertiary institution category in Anambra state at the Solution Innovation District (SID) conference, held at the international conference centre (ICC) Anambra, from Tuesday, November 25 to Friday, November 29, 2024. Anambra State Polytechnic Mgbakwu took the second position, while Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) took the third position.
Anambra Innovation Week is designed to promote innovation, technological advancements, and digital transformation, particularly in addressing specific socio-economic challenges in the heart of Nigeria.
The week-long event brought together thought leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to explore the horizon of innovation in Anambra State and beyond.
The team Coordinator, Prof. Azubike Ekpunobi, Director, Research and Innovation Directorate who represented the university said Unizik took part at the recently concluded Anambra Innovation Week.
He noted that there are a lot of research displays from Institutions, out of which UNIZIK exhibited novel research projects that gained the NAU first position with a cash prize of N5,000,000 naira only.
The team also produced the best tertiary institution researcher, Prof. Nkiru Meludu with first position and a cash prize of N2,000,000 naira only, a group of electrical engineering researchers ably represented by Engr. Chukwuka Ogbonnaya was in the second position of best tertiary institution researchers with N1,500,000 naira only, and the third position went to a group of researchers of electronics engineering ably represented by Engr. Charles with a cash prize of N1,000,000 naira only”.
Some of our students, Master Chibueze Ogbuagu and Tochukwu Egwu-Chika, among the team also won the first and second position of students in the tertiary institution category with cash prizes of N2,000,000 and N1,000,000 naira, respectively and the student from University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) made the third position”.
Engr Charles Ogbonna who spoke on one of the projects that gave the award, said Tripple Supply IOT Smart Home Automation System is designed to solve several power supply problems one of which is power interruption and making power smart thereby saving energy loss. He described the functions of the system as selecting most steady power, controlling your appliances as well as summing up your energy consumption in your house.
Also speaking, Prof Meludu noted that it was a tasking journey to win the price, describing the display that made her win the second price, she said “Some of the products herbal tea, sweet potato (made with semolina, flour), which is rich in vitamin A, high fibre, carotene and low glycemic for people that react to sugar which is equally good for diabetic patients”.
“I decided to turn them into convenient foods because they are perishable, produced once a year but we can plant them three times in a year and so for the farmers to gain more income, sustainable food security and livelihood”.
Speaking, Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Joseph Ikechebelu said “Today we are presenting to the world that Nnamdi Azikiwe is a research home where academics are still doing what they are in the university for, so you can see that at the Innovation Week, we participated with a lot of Universities but we came out victorious. Event at the student category, this is dominant and so I want to express our profound gratitude to Anambra State government for such opportunity”.
“The products are awesome, these are made local and this will tell you that our agricultural unit is coming out with a bang, very soon we will invite you to our farmer’s market when it is fully functional and you can come and take any food item that will transform your life. I want to use this opportunity to inform you that UNIZIK remains the university to reckon with and in innovation, we are still making waves”.
Prof Ikechebelu however called on industrialists to take the opportunity of partnering with the institution to produce large turnouts for commercial consumption. These products remain research designs, so if we have industries that can partner with us and make these products commercially available so that everybody can pick as much quantity as they need that will be very fantastic and this is partly why we are displaying what we were about to do, it’s not about taking the first, second position in the innovation week, we are using this opportunity to tell captains of Industry that UNIZIK is ready to partner with you. So bring your innovative designs that will bring Solutions to the community and society”.
“I congratulate our researchers and students and I assure you that the university will provide you all with all the support you need in your research”.
Those present at the press briefing were Director, UNIZIK FM, Prof Ifeoma Dunu, Engr Chukwuka Ogbonnaya, Manager UNIZIK FM, Dr Ify Obi, Acting Public Relations Officer, Njelita Louis, among others
