Three Nigerian entrepreneurs have been awarded £5,000 in funding each by the Royal Academy of Engineering project CARE (COVID Africa Rapid Entrepreneur) initiative in response to the coronavirus pandemic. They are among the eight beneficiaries selected from 53 applicants across Africa in May.
The three Nigerians are Chinenye Nwaogwugwu of Macjames Global Resources Limited, who manufactures hand sanitisers in line with World Health Organisation standards; Victor Boyle-Komolafe, of GIVO (Garbage In, Value Out), who produces face shields from recycled PET bottle; and Aisha Raheem of Farmz, who support farmers with data-driven insights to increase production and online distribution channels to increase their sales.
Royal Academy of Engineering is supported by the UK government funding provided through the department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS).
UK high commissioner to Nigeria Catriona Laing, in a statement, commended the three Nigerian beneficiaries for their innovation and resourcefulness as entrepreneurs. She also promised to connect them to potential UK partners and customers.
In her words “Project CARE has rightly recognised the brilliant ideas of three incredible entrepreneurs Chinenye, Victor and Aisha. The award is a tribute to their innovation, resourcefulness and creativity in designing environment friendly responses to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria. I have pledged to connect them to potential UK partners and to potential customers.”
The three Nigerian beneficiaries expressed their appreciation to Royal Academy of Engineering and the UK Government while also stressing the importance of receiving the funding in response to the ravaging coronavirus pandemic.
The Royal Academy of Engineering said the initiative is an extension of its partnership in supporting small and medium engineering businesses to re-focus their work to help address the challenges of COVID-19. The funding is expected to help the beneficiaries increase their capacity to develop and distribute their products to support wider efforts across Nigeria to combat and curtail the spread of the pandemic.
