Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC), has again empowered innovators, researchers, startups, and entrepreneurs with grants.
The LASRIC awarded N5 million each in grants to at least 15 Lagosians, comprising innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), who are shaping the future of Lagos and indeed, Nigeria through the application of science, technology and innovation. The grant awardees were five each in three categories, namely research, innovation, and STEM; they were in LASRIC Cohort 6 that received N5 million cheque each at a Grant Award Ceremony held at the Banquet Hall, Governor’s Office, Alausa, Lagos, with the theme ‘Fuelling Innovation, Powering Lagos.”
The grant recipients in the research category include Prof. Akintayo Olarewaju Ogundajo, for his research aimed at unlocking value from sargassum and water hyacinth; Dr. Metilelu Olumide Olusola, for his smart infrastructure in developing a multimodal smart card for tourists navigating Lagos. Others in that category are Dr. Ogochukwu Amaeze, who is studying the combination of herbal extracts like efinrin with conventional medicine; Dr. Magaret Sofidiya, who is exploring the health benefits of traditional leafy vegetables; and Prince Emeka Ndimele, for his blue economy project that rescues Lagos small-scale fisheries from the menace of water hyacinth.
Those who made it to the list of innovation awardees include Blessing Aniefiok, Co-founder of Dynalimbs, who is transforming disability care by offering more intelligent, more affordable prosthetics and orthotics; Chuks Oteke, founder of Filmanatomie, focused on building world-class film equipment locally.
Others in this category are Olapeju Umah, founder/CEO, MyFoodAngels, which transforms Nigeria’s food system through innovation, sustainability, and inclusive market access; Olayinka Iyinolakan, founder of CDIAL AI, focused on localising Artificial Intelligence (AI) through the digitisation of African languages; and Momore Oladeinde, Team Lead at Periculum, which drives inclusive, data-driven products for financial institutions and fintechs.
Awardees in STEM include tech entrepreneur Ajayi Oluwafemi, Co-founder & Director of Partnerships and Growth, Black Accelerate; Alero Thompson, Founder/CEO, Blue Sands Academy; Eyitayo Ogunmola, CEO of Utivas; EdTech entrepreneur and founder of WIFICombat Academy; and Blessing Adeolu-Adediran, who leads SAIL Innovation Hub.
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