27 scientists compete for NLNG $0.1m Nigeria Prize for Science

The Nigerian Liquefied Natural Limited (NLNG) has disclosed that 27 scientists are competing for the 2017 edition of the Nigeria Prize for Science award worth $100, 000.

The Nigeria Prize for Science, sponsored by NLNG, aims at encouraging and rewarding excellence in scientific research and innovation that help to solve a pre-identified Nigeria problem.
The prize is awarded annually and features an award of $100,000.

According to NLNG, this year’s competition, with the theme: ‘Innovations in Malaria Control,’ seeks long-lasting solution to the scourge of malaria in Nigeria.

Handing over the entries to the Advisory Board of the Nigeria Prize for Science made up of panel of judges at an event in Lagos last week, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations, Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke, noted that the 2017 edition recorded the highest number of entries for the prize.

This year has the highest number of entries since the inception of the competition with 27 scientists competing for the prize.
This is about 80 per cent increase from last year’s which recorded 16 entries.
According to Eresia-Eke, the theme of 2016: ‘Innovations in Malaria Control,’ was extended to 2017 because of its importance.
Malaria, he said, is a killer disease in Africa and Nigeria in particular and therefore, underlines the interest of the 2017 edition.

Eresia-Eke, said NLNG recognised science as a specialised field covered by specialised thoughts, stressing that research and development in this area have aided in the invention of breakthroughs that positively affect humanity.
His words: “The journey for the NLNG sponsored Nigeria Prize for Science is punctuated with milestones.
“One of it is the consolidation of entries and announcement that entries are no more being received; that is where we are today.”
On why there was no winner in 2016, he explained: “Last year, we had 16 entries generated by the same theme.
“However, not one of the 16 entries was good enough for the 2016 NLNG Prize for Science. The prize will not be awarded for any other reason but for excellence.
“As such, there was no reward because the major criteria for this award is excellence.
“But in recognition of the importance of the theme, it was decided that it be extended into 2017 because of the devastating effect of malaria, especially in Nigeria.
“The aim is to find a long-lasting solution to the scourge of malaria in Nigeria.”
Eresia-Eke said that entry for the prize was open to scientists all over the world, irrespective of nationality.
And that the prospective winner’s focus must be targeted at problems affecting the country’s development with a view to addressing them.

In his remarks, the chairman of the Advisory Board, Prof. Alfred Susu, emphasised that prizes would only and strictly be awarded based on excellence.
According to him, some of the criteria for judging the entries will include originality and uniqueness of the idea, as well as the practicability of the concept.
He said that the theme was important because malaria killed a lot of people in Nigeria, especially the vulnerable groups including children, women and pregnant women.

Also speaking, the chairman of the panel of judges and a professor of pharmacology at the University of Ibadan (UI), Dr. Catherine Falade, assured that the key indicator for choosing a winner still remained excellence and uniqueness.
Falade, who is the Director of Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, UI, said, the judges’ evaluation will be thorough.
She urged NLNG to be unrelenting in adopting qualitative and sustainable approach to malaria control, noting that “there is need for proven, validated, unique and clear evidence based data to address the gaps in malaria management.
“It is only based on these that a winner can emerge,” Falade said.

She added:” I commend the company for theme because it will help draw national and global attention to defeat malaria. It is said that Nigeria carries the highest burden of malaria in the world.”

In her remarks, President, The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chief Nike Akande,who is also a member of the Advisory Board, commended NLNG for boosting research and development in Nigeria , adding that the result of this year’s edition would be given to those in the pharmaceutical industry.