The Nigerian Academy of Engineering’s 3rd National Innovation Competition came to a close on the 24th of June with a dinner and awards ceremony at the Balmoral Event Centre in Ikeja, Lagos, celebrating the very best of Nigerian innovation.
The competition began with 108 applicants from across the country, all submitting solutions aimed at solving pressing national challenges. Out of that number, only 8 innovators made it through to the final stage, each one bringing forward a solution built around real problems facing Nigeria today.
On the night, 5 of the 8 finalists were named runner ups and awarded a token of encouragement for their work. Among them was Herock Envirotech, a clean tech startup whose innovation, FeatherClean, is a chicken feather based sorbent pillow designed to preserve the blue economy while promoting circular economy principles. FeatherClean tackles two pressing issues at once, oil pollution and poultry waste, offering a sustainable alternative grounded in both science and engineering. Led by Dr Kaine Chinwah, Herock’s innovation stood out as a solution to a challenge that continues to affect communities across the Niger Delta and beyond.
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From the shortlist, 3 innovations went on to claim the top three positions. Powerbox Energy Systems took first place with its locally manufactured solar solutions and e-waste to energy innovation, developed by Abdulmalik Badamasi. AquaVise placed second for its AI driven aquafarm and wastewater management system, led by Mubarak Erinfolami. Rounding out the top three was the Development of a Sustainable Fibre Strand Production Machine for recycling plastic waste, led by Dr Madu Solomon.
It was a night that honoured the people quietly building solutions for Nigeria’s future, one innovation at a time.
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