- Three secondary students were awarded cash prizes by President Buhari
- They also received scholarship to PhD level
- The students performed excellently at the Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential competition
President Muhammadu Buhari has awarded cash prizes and scholarship up to PhD level to three secondary school students.
The Nation reports that the three students were given the award in the just concluded Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential competition. The students came out as the best in the 774 local government areas of the country.
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The president was represented by vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, at the opening ceremony of the 2018 technology and innovation expo where the students got the award.
He said: "In September 2016 the state house hosted the first Aso villa demo day ro showvase the innovation of emerging startups from around the country, since the world bank has supported a batch of those innovators with grants totally about $3mthe first batch of which has already been disbursed and the world bank is committing an additional $3m in the funding for six~ technology hubs across Nigeria in our universities.
“The federal government is collaborating with the Bank of Industry and other private sector entities to run a Presidential technology innovation challenge in all Nigerian universities, public and private and also some Polytechnics in April of this year, each university winner will be invited to an award event hosted by Mr President at the villa, we are also setting up technology hubs in universities in the six geopolitical zones.
“We will also establish centers of acquisition of technology in each of the six geopolitical zones, we will provide intervention funds that will strengthen research and development through training programs and partnerships in Nigerian universities and polytechnics, our goal is to develop self-confident nation that is quickly able to identify and take advantage of emerging opportunities in a rapidly changing world.
“Congratulate our best science students who have emerged as the best in the 774 local government areas of the country, I am pleased to announce that the candidates who emerged first, second and third respectively in the final examination of the recently concluded Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential competition have been granted full scholarships, up to PHD levels in any science related discipline of their choice in any of our universities, the future of Nigeria belongs to the young people and it is our duty as a government to create tye enabling environment for them to grow to their full potential.
“As part of our effort to create a nurturing environment for technology and innovation in Nigeria, President Buhari has approved a new national science, technology and innovation Roadmap 2017-2030 for Nigeria.
“He has also approved a national strategy for competitiveness in raw materials and product development in Nigeria. It is our intention as a government to utilize this initiative to stimulate local production of our raw materials and support our ambition for a diversified economy."
Meanwhile, Nigeria's minister of Science and technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, promised to help Nigerian universities establish science parks to facilitate diversification of the country’s economy through science, technology and innovations, Vanguard reports.
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NAIJ.com gathered that the minister made the promise in his address at the first International Conference for Science Parks and Innovation Ecosystem for National Development, holding at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
According to the minister, the culture of establishing high-tech clusters should be promoted by universities, new business incubators and research complexes within the science and technology sector.
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Source: Naija.ng