Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna State (KADPOLY) have won the 2015 Enactus Entrepreneurship Challenge held last week at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. The team will represent Nigeria at a global contest in South Africa, reports WALE AJETUNMOBI.
Of the over 40 teams that presented life-changing entrepreneurial projects they carried out in 27 states, only 20 teams with excellent projects qualified to participate in the contest. At the end, the team, which developed an electricity project, was adjudged to be the best of all.
This project earned the Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna (KADPOLY) team the first prize at the end of the 2015 Enactus National Entrepreneurship Competition held last week at Civic Centre, Victoria Island in Lagos. The theme of the event was: Enabling progress.
By the feat, the KADPOLY students will represent Nigeria in World Cup Challenge in Johannesburg, South Africa in October, having defeated their counterparts from the Federal University of Agriculture (UNIAGRIC) in Markurdi, Benue State, and Ekiti State University (EKSU) in the national round.
Enactus, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), engages students in activities aimed at solving various challenges facing many communities by designing and strategically implementing community-based projects using innovative and business solutions that will improve livelihoods and transform the communities socially, economically and environmentally.
Addressing the students at the event, the United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, said the growing African population would unlock tremendous opportunities for the youth to use technology for economic growth. He said the opportunities would only be at the reach of young people if they were educated and acquired skills.
Describing Nigerian youths as ardent social and business entrepreneurs, the envoy said: “Working in teams to shape your projects and competing with your peers, you have acquired valuable skills. You now have the responsibility placed on your shoulder to serve as strong, positive role models for Nigeria and Africa. In five to 10 years, you and your peers will be the ones making major decisions in government, business and civil society.”
The contest started on Tuesday with review and screening of the projects. The qualified teams were divided into four leagues, with each having five teams to present their projects in the opening round of the competition.
Two teams with outstanding plans from each of the four leagues advanced to the semi-final round, which had the successful teams to be grouped in two leagues of four teams each. The teams adjudged to have used the power of innovation to sustainably change the lives of people in their target communities moved to the final round.
The two qualifying teams, UNIAGRIC and KADPOLY slugged it out with their counterpart from EKSU, which won the 2014 edition.
The KADPOLY electricity project involved the use of recycled materials, car alternator, bicycle wheel and polyvinylchloride pipes to construct a windmill that generated 2,400 Watts of power to serve the Angwan Pah community.
The community had, at the time, never experienced public power supply in its over 50 years of existence. The project was carried with the support of SAHARA Group, an energy firm.
To sustain the project, the team extended it to neighbouring Kakau community, using kinetic energy of water to generate electricity. The project was discovered to be self-sustaining and environmental-friendly.
The EKSU team innovatively developed an automated and wireless pest control device that emits 23 various sounds audible only to birds. The technology was developed to address the challenge of bird infestation being faced by rice farmers in Igbemu community of Ekiti State.
The farmers were excited about the technology, which keeps their farms free of bird invasion and saves them 40 to 60 per cent yield that would have been lost. The technology also boosted the profits of the farmers by 60 per cent and encouraged them to cultivate more farmlands.
The UNIAGRIC team designed an environment-friendly generator, with the objective to improve performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The project reduced environmental pollution in Wurukum Market in Benue State, which was caused by the emission of carbon dioxide from fuel generators. The students empowered 11 SMEs, thereby reducing cost of running their business.
At the end of the keen contest, students of KADPOLY emerged winner, while UNIAGRIC team came second and EKSU, third.
The KADPOLY team was presented with a trophy and N500,000 cheque as first prize. It will be competing with 35 other teams from different countries during the global championship.
The Enactus Acting Country chief, Michael Ajayi, said the contest has created a platform for the youth to use their ingenuity to find sustainable business solutions to real problems affecting real people.
He said: “When the students embarked on the projects, they also used the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and entrepreneurial talent. Through Enactus activities in the last 13 years, we have had the opportunity to work with some talented young Nigerians, who have dared to create change in their communities.”
The event was supported by the vision of some corporate organisations, including Sahara Group, U.S. Embassy and KPMG.
