10th April, 2014
Eromosele Ebhomele
The African Innovation Foundation, AIF, has announced 10 finalists of the prestigious Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2014.
Among the 10 African innovators who were said to have created practical solutions to some of the continent’s most intractable problems, from a domestic waste biogas system to a wafer matrix for paediatric antiretroviral (ARV) drug treatment is a Nigerian, Sulaiman Bolarinde Famro, who produced Farmking Mobile Multi-crop Processor, an innovation that uses centrifugal forces to process cassava, sweet potatoes, soy, she-nuts, grains and cereals.
The extractor, which Famro built, is said to help to separate the tubers from liquid, particles and impurities as well as toxic elements. It is also designed to replace the present crude fermentation and pressing technology which is extremely slow and wasteful and offers limited output and profitability.
The AIF said the awardees were picked from almost 700 applications from 42 countries, adding that the finalists for the IPA 2014 represent Africans’ potential to address the challenges that are unique to the continent.
The winners of the IPA 2014, according to the organisation, will be announced at an awards ceremony on 5 May in Abuja, Nigeria, where Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, would highlight the importance of innovation to unlock Africa’s potential for sustainable development and economic growth.
The AIF further said the winner would receive $100,000 for the best innovation based on marketability, originality, scalability, social impact and clear business potential while a runner up would receive $25,000 for the best commercial potential and another winner would receive $25,000 as a special prize for innovation with the highest social impact.
“The IPA 2014 innovators demonstrate that the best way to achieve equitable economic growth for all Africans is to invest in local innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais, founder of the African Innovation Foundation and the IPA.
Apart from Famro, others nominated for the award include Ashley Uys (South Africa), who produced the OculusID Impairment Screening, a device designed to measure pupil (eyes’) response to light emissions; Daniel Gitau Thairu (Kenya), who produced the Domestic Waste Biogas System; Elise Rasel Cloete (South Africa) who produced the GMP Traceability Management Software CC; Joshua Okello (Kenya), who produced WinSenga, a low-cost mobile phone based antenatal diagnosis kit that captures foetal heart beat sounds.
Others are Logou Minsob (Togo), who produced the Foufoumix; Dr. Nicolaas Duneas (South Africa), who produced Altis Osteogenic Bone Matrix (Altis OBM™), the world’s first injectable bone-graft product; Maman Abdou Kane (Niger), produced the Horticultural Tele-Irrigation; Melesse Temesgen (Ethiopia), who produced Aybar BBM, a low-cost farming device; and Viness Pillay (South Africa), who produced WaferMatTM, an Anti Retroviral therapy in the form of a wafer that dissolves within 3 seconds of being placed in the mouth.