The federal government has granted N5 million to students of Marist College Yangoji, Abuja, for inventing the Sensebox and Aquabot, which are monitoring devices for air and water pollution.
The presentation was made by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu in his office on Tuesday in Abuja.
Onu said with the feat achieved by the students, Nigeria is well-positioned to become a hub for creativity.
He added that with innovations by young Nigerians, the country would be able to meet all her needs, rely less on imports, becoming a creativity hub for wealth creation.
On intellectual property protection, he said that the ministry will patent the key innovation through one of its agencies, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) at no cost.
Dr Onu appealed to parents to motivate their children and make sure they inculcate values of hard work, respect and commitment which are the foundation of every child.
He urged the students to fly the Nigerian flag high at the upcoming virtual Students for Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) competition on the 13th of August this year.
Earlier, the President/CEO of the research team for Aquabot, Mabocha Sharon who is an SS3 student of Marist College said they are seeking the support of the ministry to patent their innovation.
