The Cross River University of Technology, (CRUTECH), has emerged winner of the maiden edition of Nigerian Content Science and Technology Innovation Challenge(STIC) sponsored by  the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB to encourage research innovations among undergraduates in Nigerian universities.

The CRUTECH represented by Victoria Effiong and Paul Agbor  with the team name DC Soalr Element Stove produced a Solar Element Stove to be used  for renewable and cheaper alternative cooking.

The contestants were picked ahead of entries from over 170 public and private institutions across Nigeria who entered for the STIC competition.

At the grand finale held at the Nigerian Content Towers, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, CRUTECH beat University of Jos represented by Team Questers, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, represented by Team Ted, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Tai Solarin University of Education represented by team Incandescent and Anchor University Lagos represented by team AUL-Physics

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The school team who were listed among the six finalists were able to successfully defend their product before the panel of judges during the final exhibition at the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, coming out with the first position, and took home the star prize of N10 million .

Team Quester of the University of Jos, came second with a Hydroponic system of growing food indoors without soil and went home with N4million while Team Ted of the Federal University, Makurdi came third with a noiseless, fuel-less electric generator to provide alternate power source, and went home with N1.5million.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Simbi Wabote in his remarks said STIC was initiated to fill the gap in Nigeria research and development, innovation, invention, and local manufacturing.

Wabote commended NCDMB partner Enactus Nigeria for the brilliant show of investing in students to create entrepreneurs and value-driven social innovators across 1,730 campuses in 36 countries all over the world.

“The STIC is a strategic enterprise development programme designed to challenge undergraduates of all accredited Nigerian tertiary institutions to stretch their ingenuity, and apply science & technology to create home-grown, innovative, technology-driven, and smart/digitalized solutions that address critical problems facing our society, economy, and country at large,” he said.