Israel to boost support for youth innovative programme in Nigeria

Israel to boost support for youth innovative programme in Nigeria

The Israeli government says it is committed to investing in youth innovation and research programmes in Nigeria to promote technological advancement.

Mr Michael Freeman, Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja, in his address at the graduation ceremony of the Innovative Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers (i-FAIR-2) programme,

Freeman was represented at the event by Mr Yotam Kreiman, Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul, Embassy of Israel in Nigeria.

I-FAIR-2 was organised by the Embassy, in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, Skill G Ltd., Gregory University and DeNovo, being private sector-based organisations.

Freeman said: “From i-FAIR-1 in 2021 and approach of Israeli Embassy that we have here on knowledge sharing, startups, innovations and technologies in the emerging context in general and in Nigeria, in particular.

“We have seen from the video presentations what i-FAIR is; it is an 8-month accelerator programme for startups in specific fields that were chosen between the embassy and the Office of the Vice President.

“Unlike other programmes, from the exhibition, our graduates really finished with the prototype of their products in their hands and ready to show it to investors and other companies.”

He further expressed appreciation to partners of the i-FAIR programme for the success achieved in the completion of i-FAIR-2, since its commencement in November 2021.

Speaking at the event, Prof. Gregory Ibe, the Managing Director/CEO, of Skill “G” Nigeria Ltd, congratulated the graduates and urged them to harness the skills they acquired and products invented, to boost the growth of the i-FAIR project.

Ibe, who is also the Founder/Chancellor of Gregory University, Uturu, in Abia State, was represented by former Vice President of ECOWAS, Mr Edward Singhatey.

“The products that you have seen are the successful ones, you do not see the 99 unsuccessful ones.

“So, it will be a journey that you will have to undertake, but do not get discouraged, if all your products do not hit the market immediately.

“You have got an array of tremendous products from toys that can develop the creative mind of young children, to contraptions that can pound Ginger in a natural way,” Ibe stated.

He added: “To the innovations in the medical fields like the chest-metre, the photo-therapy, among so many others; it was a joy and a privilege to listen to you pitch your inventions yesterday.

“I sincerely hope that this will be the first step in a journey that will take you to higher heights.

“It is only a matter of time before one of your products or one of the batches in this i-FAIR will hit the market and go international.”

Also speaking, Mr Avi Ostfeld, Founder of Makelab, advised the graduates of the programme to remain focused to achieve their desired goals in life.

“The potential of the people is here, now we need motivation. Motivation sometimes is tricky, but usually, you have it.

“Every one of us wants to move forward to success on personal and country level.

“So the motivation is here, sometimes we need to help it a bit with self-confidence, but in general we have the people and we have motivation,” Ostfeld said.

Meanwhile, Mr Olukokun Opeyemi, Manager of Thinkbikes organisation, who spoke on behalf of the programme, expressed appreciation to the organisers for the benefits derived from i-FAIR-2.

Opeyemi said: “Our mission is to provide last man transportation for small businesses and this will be the most affordable so far, N3 or less can get you 50km range.

“I want to thank the State of Israel for this initiative that has helped a number of us, we are so grateful.

“I heard about the innovation centre for a while, but when I got here, I knew I was not dreaming at all; I need to read the book Think big again. Without i=FAIR we would not have been here.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that i-FAIR is a platform and acronym for an Innovation start-up programme for aspiring Nigerian Inventors and Researchers.