President Muhammadu Buhari Sunday in Abuja recognised and celebrated the accomplishments of some youth innovators in Nigeria including the 20-year-old Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, engineering student Usman Dalhatu, who built a portable automatic ventilator to help people with breathing problems.
Dalhatu was among the five Youth Innovators in different fields showcased by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development at the occasion of the maiden National Youth Day Celebration, observed on November 1, which also coincides with the African Youth Day Celebration.
The Ministry also organised a 60 Day App Challenge competition in which 10 winners emerged across the country.
At the maiden National Youth Day Celebration, held at the State House Conference Centre, President Buhari, who was represented by the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, congratulated the young innovators on making the nation proud, assuring them that his government will continue to invest in entrepreneurship, skills and career development.
Other Youth Innovators, who received cash donations of N500,000 each from the Federal Government are:
Intissar Bashir Kurfi, Managing Partner, Ifrique Eco Solutions, a green Architect and environmentalist.
Kurfi, in her late twenties, established a factory for up cycling plastic waste in Abuja. The factory would upcycle Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) such as pure water sachets, plastic bottles, polythene bags and others into Interlocking Tiles.
Surajo Ismaila, 23-year old indigene of Rubochi in Kuje Area Council in Abuja, is a tractor, toys, vending machines and remote control inventor.
Adejoke Lasisi, founder of Planet 3R and Jokelinks Weaving School, an African fabric designer and environmentalist.
She is the founder of Planet 3R and Jokelinks Weaving School – the first of their kinds in Nigeria.
Idris Bashir, 28, is the founder of Midrish Technologies Nigeria, credited to have developed an application to help farmers, small, medium and large businesses to reach out to their customers.
In the 60 Day App Challenge competition, 10 young Nigerians emerged winners including Anasiudu Ikechukwu, Elioenal Yomi-Agbajor, Adegoke Oluwatosin Amos, Daniel Osi, Isaac Isaac Ozioma, Yushau El-Sunais Sani, Adeniji Oluwaferanmi, Solomon Yakubu Zamba, Andrew Mogbolu and Olukayode Fadairo.
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, said thousands of entries were received for the App Challenge and after detailed process by technical partners, 10 entries were selected to receive cash prizes of N1 million each , while a number of others won laptops.