Three Nigerian innovators have been nominated for the Africa Prize for developing solutions to the continent's problems.
The Royal Academy of Engineering announced this in a statement.
The three Nigerians are among 16 African innovators from ten nations competing for the £25,000 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.
Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe are among the nations represented on the shortlist.
Shortlisted ideas, according to the organizers, present technical solutions critical to UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as water, healthcare, agriculture, education, food security, waste, and energy concerns.
A treatment to convert acid mine drainage into drinking water; a portable aquaponics unit that uses fish waste to boost vegetable production; a robotics learning tool for children; a remote healthcare monitoring system; and an eco-friendly cooking stove that absorbs black carbon are among the innovations.
By mid-2023, four finalists will be chosen to present their innovations and business plans to Africa Prize judges at an event in Accra, Ghana.
The winner will get £25,000, with three runners-up receiving £10,000 apiece; the most potential innovator will also receive a £5,000 One-to-Watch award.
Africa's Prize
The Africa Prize, established in 2014, is given annually by the Royal Academy of Engineering to ambitious African innovators who are developing local and scalable solutions to pan-African and international challenges.
The Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy of the United Kingdom, as well as The Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund, are both supporting it.
The Africa Prize shortlist will receive a one-of-a-kind package of assistance that includes company incubation, coaching, fundraising, and communications.
Access to the Academy's global network of high-profile experienced engineers and business experts in the UK and Africa is also included.
The Academy's 134-strong Africa Prize alumni network includes innovators who have achieved significant commercial success and social impact across the continent as a result of their participation in the Prize, such as 2022 winner Norah Magero and her portable solar-powered fridge solution for transporting medicines.
Alumni of the Africa Prize are expected to impact more than three million people over the next five years, having already created 3,585 jobs (1,766 for women and 211 for people with disabilities) and raised more than $14 million in grants and equity funding, directly contributing to 12 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Entrepreneurs and ideas on the shortlist
Boitumelo Nkatlo, South Africa - Affordable AMD Solution A technique for treating acid mine drainage (AMD) by recycling tainted water for human use.
Cristovo Cacombe, Angola - Arobot A robotics learning tool for kids that requires assembly and programming to perform specific tasks.
Flavien Kouatcha Simo, Cameroon - Digital Aquaponics A mobile fish farm that uses fish waste as fertilizer to grow organic veggies, allowing small-scale farmers to enhance output.
Chukwuemeka Eze, Nigeria - Electric Mobility A service that converts gas-powered three-wheel motorcycles to run on batteries, saving up to 60% on operating costs.
Edmund Wessels, FlexiGyn, South Africa - A portable gadget that allows gynecologists to diagnose and treat uterine health disorders without the use of anesthesia.
Emmanuel Ofori Devi, Ghana - MEDBOX A healthcare monitoring device that monitors a patient's vital signs and sends them to doctors for remote medical guidance.
Multi-Purpose Earth Brick Machine, Fikru Gebre Dikumbab, Ethiopia – A manually-operated portable machine to make interlocking compressed earth bricks using 90-95 percent soil and 5-10 percent cement.
ProbiGal, Dr. Deon Neveling, South Africa – A host-specific multi-strain probiotic designed to promote gut health and prevent bacterial infections in chickens, reducing the need for antibiotics.
Smart Green Stove, Margaret Yainkain Mansaray, Sierra Leone – An efficient non-electric cooking device designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and health risks, slashing energy use by 70 percent.
Smart Water Tech, Allen Chafa, Zimbabwe – A real-time water quality monitoring and control system to address waterborne diseases.
Tolulope Olukokun, Nigeria - ThinkBikes Coolmax is An electric cargo bike equipped with a battery-powered fridge to assist Nigeria's smallholder farmers in transporting fresh food harvests to market.
WAGA Power Pack, Gibson Kawago, Tanzania - A electricity pack constructed of recycled laptop batteries that provide dependable and economical power to electric bikes, power banks, solar lighting, companies, and residences.
Cletus Ekpoh, Nigeria - Waste-to-Wealth Enhancer A four-part recycling system designed to assist informal waste collectors.
Anatoli Kirigwajjo, Anatoli Kirigwajjo, Uganda - A local digital network connected by a physical device that uses the Internet of Things to provide low-cost security in underserved areas.
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