Prototypes of innovations developed by a team of Nigerian researchers under the TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) have been tested and are receiving positive feedback from potential investors.

Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, disclosed this at the TETFAIR Showcase and Closing Event held at Innov8 Technology Hub, Abuja.

Echono, who described the innovations as the tangible impact of the Fund’s commitment to research and development, disclosed that a team designed and developed a hearing aid that is self-programmable, affordable, and more suitable for the African market.
 
The TETFund boss added that the team was selected among the top three participants in the Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate (ARC), Centre for Digital Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme at the Sheba Hospital in Israel, and they presented their innovation at an international medical conference.
 
Speaking further on the strides of researchers under the TETFAIR initiative, he said the teams have also developed prototypes for application in agriculture and food technology, including a non-invasive, automated poultry measurement and data collection and analysis system.
 
He said other prototypes developed by the teams include “a wireless network-based system for tracking and monitoring small and higher animals to a drone equipped with innovative solutions that utilise sound to herd birds away from farms in a specific direction.
 
He said: “For education, a team designed and developed an education kit to be used as an experimental study kit for physics, using the characteristics of the flywheel.”

Another team developed an automation solution for the textile drying process, enhancing the cost efficiency of textile printing for small and medium businesses.
 
“For the oil and gas industry, a team developed an intelligent remote monitoring device to help oil and gas facility owners carry out maintenance of the Cathodic Protection Systems on their pipelines.”

Echono described research and innovation as remedies to address the challenges of underdevelopment in the nation, adding that they are the most compelling strategy for accelerating sustainable growth.
 
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, said Nigerian researchers were engaged in multi-prong efforts to tackle the nation’s challenges, including the development of vaccines for preventable diseases in Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

The minister called for collaboration between the academia and industry and other stakeholders to ensure the marketability of the products churned out by Nigerian researchers and innovators.
 
A former Minister of Labour, Simon Lalong, who described the TETFAIR as a celebration of the remarkable innovative achievements over the years, said the scheme serves as a platform for researchers and innovators to showcase their groundbreaking ideas to transform them into tangible solutions.
 
Lalong expressed confidence that the valuable experiences gained through the TETFAIR will empower Nigerian scholars to contribute significantly to their fields at home and internationally.