Nigerian students have dominated the Innovation, STEM, and Partnerships for Inclusive and Relevant Education (INSPIRE) Project national innovation challenge showcase, emerging as promising young tech leaders.
On Tuesday in Abuja, 200 students from junior and senior secondary categories—along with 20 STEM teachers—gathered from across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones for the INSPIRE Project finals.
Several schools presented scalable inventions and innovations designed to inspire the next generation.
Three senior secondary students from Government Girls’ Science Secondary School, Kuje, Abuja, led by Deborah Oyelohunnu, invented a solar water heater.
Explaining their motivation and how the device works, the students said they developed the project in their boarding house due to the lack of access to hot water.
“We decided to solve our own problem by inventing a solar water heater. It works by using direct sunlight—the copper inside a glass box absorbs heat from the sun,” Oyelohunnu told reporters.
Six junior secondary students from Junior Secondary School, Dutse Sagwan, led by Sadiya Muhammed, created an automatic solar security light.
Muhammed told reporters that the idea came after a thief burgled their home and stole all the phones.
“I realised the problem in my community was the lack of automatic solar security lights. If we had one, it would have detected the thief and raised an alert,” she said.
The INSPIRE Project is funded by the ExxonMobil Foundation and implemented through a strategic partnership between the TechWomen Alumni Association Nigeria and PanAfricare Nigeria.
Nigel Cookey-Gam, Community Relations Manager at ExxonMobil Nigeria, noted that the project has significantly enhanced STEM knowledge among both students and teachers.
He expressed excitement about the students’ achievements so far and optimism that the intervention would catalyse technological advancement in the country.
“We hope the children have been inspired so they can, in turn, inspire the next generation,” he said.
Dr Carolyn Seaman, President of TechWomen Alumni, stated that the project was designed to bridge a critical resource gap in STEM education.
“We committed to reaching underserved communities, empowering girls, and including students with disabilities. We have increased student interest in STEM from a baseline of 40 per cent to an impressive 88 per cent.
“Our classrooms are now vibrant hubs of diversity, with 66.1 per cent female participation and successful inclusion of students with disabilities,” she said.
Lee MacManis, Country Public Diplomacy Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, highlighted that America’s exchange programmes deliver tangible results, as demonstrated by INSPIRE.
He noted that in less than one year, the programme had reached 123,000 students, trained 105 teachers, and transformed 14 schools into innovative hubs.
“That’s the kind of measurable impact that advances both American and Nigerian interests.
“To Nigerian educators, we invite you to replicate this model in your schools. TechWomen alumni have proven it works,” he said.
Terfa Akpoyibo, Project Manager of INSPIRE, told reporters that adequate resources are essential for effective STEM learning and that bridging the resource gap remains critical.
He explained that the project trained teachers and provided laboratory equipment and innovative tools such as virtual reality, robotics, and 3D printing.
The initiative donated these resources to selected junior and senior secondary schools across 14 institutions to inspire participation in a knowledge-based economy.
