VICE-President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday disclosed that the Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, is already working on the local production of COVID-19 vaccine.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, the Vice-President spoke while representing the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), virtually at a forum organised by the Nigerian Academy of Engineering.

Akande’s statement was titled, ‘How COVID-19 pandemic opened up immense talents of Nigerian scientists -By Buhari.’

The presidential aide said giving an update on the production of a local vaccine, Osinbajo noted that the African Centre of Excellence for the Genomics of Infectious Disease located at Redeemer’s University, Ede, has “developed an efficacious rapid test for COVID and has been working on a vaccine in collaboration with DIOSynVax (Digital Immune Optimised Synthetic Vaccines), Cambridge UK, using the DIOSynVax genomic-based technology.

“There are also efforts going on therapeutics of various kinds. The development of vaccines, tests and therapeutics these days is aided by automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence; so, this is a strong point of synergy between science and engineering.”

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Describing Nigerian scientists as worthy assets to be nurtured, Osinbajo said the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the potentials, talents, and creativity of the scientists.

“I think the pandemic has truly opened up the immense talents and creativity of Nigerian scientists and engineers and if the current momentum is supported, the next few years could be incredibly exciting,” he said.