By Lydia Legbo
The Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety (ACEMFS) in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Centre of the Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMinna) has given out various prizes in support of young innovators in food security and safety research.
Ten enterprises won the prizes out of 250 entries at the recently concluded 2024 Innovation Week hosted by FUT Minna with focus on Food Security and Food Safety.
Victoria Emmanuel of Sokvikia Enterprises, Lokoja, Kogi State won the star prize of N1 million for her project; Victech Solar Klin. Musa Ali Pashi of Palmark Syndicate, Bayo, Borno State, won N750,000 as the first runner-up for his tomato processing project. At the same time, Ariyo Adefolarin David, a Master’s Degree student of the Department of Telecommunication Engineering, FUT, Minna, got N500,000 for his project, Save Yam. Seven other participants got consolation prizes of N50,000 each. The event showcased numerous innovative projects.
The Vice-Chancellor of FUT Minna, Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta, commended the participants’ ingenuity and dedication to enhancing food security and safety in Nigeria.
The Vice-Chancellor who was represented at the event by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Engr. Prof. Abdullahi Mohammed emphasised the importance of adequate food supply for national productivity and encouraged all contestants to continue pursuing their innovative ideas.
The Centre Leader of ACEMFS, Prof. Hussaini Anthony Makun, emphasised the Centre’s mission which is to develop research solutions for safer food while highlighting the economic impact of unsafe food in Nigeria.
Also, the Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre, Engr. Prof. Caroline Alenoghena, reiterated the event’s goal which is to harness innovations for food safety, noting that out of 250 entries, 50 outstanding projects were selected for a boot camp out of which the prize winners were selected.
Engr. Prof. Zinash Osunde, and Prof. Abdulkareem Ambali Saka who served as judges for the competition, praised the participants and assured them of support, including patent protection for their projects.
