Over four months, the Student Innovation Challenge, with the support of MTN Foundation, has seen about 2100 applications from undergraduate students of accredited Nigerian universities and polytechnics, proffer solutions in various sub sectors and industries in the economy ranging from agriculture, power to waste management.
The Lagos finals included a week long boot camp and a demo day. The boot camp exposed about 40 students to mentorship and a series of assessment classes which would help them start and grow their enterprise successfully.
On the demo day, the 40 shortlisted candidates, pitched their ideas to various panel of judges’ present. The 40 candidates were further shortlisted to 6 candidates, who were selected through a ballot system.
These 6 candidates then pitched their ideas to the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who was present at the occasion.
The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, lauded the various ideas that the students presented. During the programme, he also commissioned the groundbreaking of the Civic Innovation lab which is situated at the Creative arts faculty of Unilag.
Speaking at the Lagos regional, the Executive secretary of the MTN foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma congratulated the winner of the Student Innovation Challenge, David Oluwatobiloba Adeyemi whose eco-E product, made from the special recycling of fruits and Kitchen wastes, was selected as the overall best by the panel of judges.
She said, “The Student Innovation Challenge – which has brought us here today – is not just a fantastic initiative, but is a timely reminder to us all that challenges are ours to own, understand and sort out. That our people are ours to care for, nurture and empower. That our future is ours to take, mould and rebirth!”
The Student Innovation Challenge platform which is about collaboration, innovation and creativity amongst Students from across Universities and Polytechnics in Nigeria, is just one of the many ways the MTN Foundation is supporting Nigerian Youth.
MTN Foundation’s educational initiatives have seen it provide digital libraries and ICT laboratories to universities and secondary schools, across the country while empowering others with scholarships in music, science and technology.
The MTN Foundation healthcare portfolio, has provided mammography and dialysis machines to public hospitals across the country as well as its trailblazing eyesight restoration intervention where a lot of persons have benefited from free surgeries, and treatments.
Under its economic empowerment portfolio, MTN Foundation has carried out and supported a wide range of activities designed to enable job provision, skills acquisition among other various stakeholder groups such as the disabled, widows and visually impaired students. In recognition of its positive contributions, MTN Foundation has received numerous awards, including the CSR Nigeria Industry Award: Innovative Partnership Award for Outstanding Work in Corporate Social Responsibility and Creating “Shared Value”; Advertising Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) Awards: Best Corporate Social Responsibility Company and Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria: Special Appreciation Award in recognition of MTNF work and Support for Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria among many others.
