The grand finale of Professor Ogundipe Innovation Challenge (POIC) where three finalists with innovative and workable scientific ideas to solve societal problems will be rewarded with a sum of N1 million each on September 3rd, 2019.
POIC is an initiative of the Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, as part of his humanitarian activities towards national growth and development and it is open to all Nigerian university students at undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels, nationwide.
The vice-chancellor said that he introduced the competition to encourage and support scientific creativities and ideas among university students that can help to solve the country’s problems in agriculture, oil and gas, information and communication technology, computer, medicine, and other related fields.
Ogundipe, a professor of botany, explained that the annual competition is designed to identify and give necessary support to Nigerian young entrepreneurs right from schools and make them globally relevant and competitive in their chosen fields.
He, however, urged companies, captains of industry and philanthropist individuals to share with, and support the vision for societal advancement.
Commenting on the competition, the chairperson of POIC committee, Dr. Kehinde Kemabonta, said no fewer than 500 students from across Nigeria applied for this first edition and that the number was reduced to 25 and later 11, out of which three would emerge as winners at the grand finale event.
She noted that the entries submitted as either an individual or group and from students from different universities including University of Portharcourt (UNIPORT), Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), UNILAG, and the University of Benin (UNIBEN), among others were adjudged by independent jurists from members of academic in and outside UNILAG, professional bodies and captains of industry.
She said the winners of the annual competition would be mentored by experts in their chosen areas for the purpose of changing their ideas to commercial and profitable ventures.
