LASU-ACEITSE awards N7.5m grant to 3 students

The Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education (ACEITSE) – Lagos State University (LASU) has awarded N2.5 million grant each to three students of the centre for their entrepreneurial ideas.

The grant was given to Mr Okyere Agyemang, Mrs Uchenna Uzuegbunam and Mr Benjamin Onuorah to support their outstanding entrepreneurial ideas.

The Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, gave the names at the award giving ceremony organised by the centre, on Friday.

Olatunji-Bello was represented by Prof. Rasheed Sanni, Director of ACEITSE-LASU.

She said that such grants were awarded to students whose proposals were found worthy of the centre’s support.

“This journey started in the year 2023 on return from Cote d’Ivoire where it became clear to us that students can get entrepreneurial support on the ACE-Impact project.

“I recall vividly constituting a three-man committee to work out modalities for accomplishing this by conducting independent assessment of all the proposals.

“The ACE-Impact project indicators resonate very well with the strategic goals of our administration, particularly the goal of making LASU the best university in West Africa,” she said.

Olatunji-Bello said that the management of LASU would continue to key into ACEITSE’s activities that aimed at improving students and staff.

“I promise again we shall continue to sustain and improve the excellent academic and administrative performances.

“I congratulate the winners of the grant and the beneficiaries of the laptops. I believe and pray that you will take advantage of this award and provision, respectively,” she said.

Prof. Banji Fajoyomi, representing the three-man committee, narrated how the winners were selected.

He said that the winners’ proposals were full of originality abd relevance.

Fajoyomi said that about 16 proposals were submitted by students on entrepreneurial skills, ideas and acquisitions.

“We looked out for the feasibility, product description and technology.

“We made sure that their business models were different, and looked at how they can involve teamwork and team capability in their business ideas.

“We also looked at the timeline and how fast they can turn the grants around,” he said.

Fajoyomi said that all the proposals submitted were good but the committee chose those that indicated teamwork, frameworks and authenticity.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Benjamin Onuorah, said that the centre had been a blessing to him.

Onuorah said that his proposed product had been in existence since seven years ago but needed more funding.

“This business is a built learning educational app which anyone such as students and teachers can have access to in any location,” he said.

It was reported that some members of the staff were given laptops at the event.

ACEITSE project is an initiative of the World Bank, co-funded by the bank and Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD).

ACEITSE‘s vision is to promote excellence in teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through culturally-relevant, innovative and transformative models for addressing regional development challenges.