NDI hosts Maiden Robotics, STEM fair in Rivers, pledges annual innovation showcase
Niger Delta Innovate (NDI) has expressed commitment to making its Robotics and STEM Fair an annual event.
The organisation expressed the commitment at the maiden innovative fair held at Okrika Grammar School, Rivers State, recently.
The Robotics and STEM Fair is a platform for promoting innovation and digital skills development across the Niger Delta region.
This maiden event, which attracted over 300 students, teachers, parents and guests, was themed ‘Innovation and Creativity: The Foundation of a Better Future,’ showcasing NDI’s efforts to bridge the digital skills gap in the region through its NERDC-aligned Digital Technology curriculum, Technovation Clubs and inhouse learning platform, Loop. The event featured robotics and STEM quiz competitions involving students from seven schools. In the robotics category, participants presented functional prototypes designed to address real-life challenges, including an autonomous linefollowing car for warehouse logistics, an automatic floorsweeping robot, a home security system, an automatic reading lamp and a Bluetooth-controlled remote car.
A panel of judges, comprising Dr. Levi Damingo, Mr. Daniel Kalio and Dr. Kizzy Elliot, assessed the projects based on presentation, innovation, societal relevance, design and teamwork.
Okrika Grammar School’s second team (OGS2) emerged winner of the robotics competition with percent while Okrika National Secondary School came second with 68 percent.
The Kings College placed third with 61.7 per cent, followed by CSS Okochiri, OGS1 and CSS Ogbogbo.
The STEM Quiz competition, conducted live on the Loop platform, tested 14 students — two representatives from each of the seven participating schools — in mathematics, science, technology and engineering.
The Kings College emerged winner with 97.7 percent while Okrika Grammar School and CSS Okochiri placed second and third with 76.5 per cent and 71.2 per cent respectively.
A total of 39 students participated across the two competitions, with cash prizes of N200,000, N150,000 and N100,000 awarded to the top three schools in each category.
One of the highlights of the event was the exhibition of an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by junior students of Okrika Grammar School using Scratch. Team lead, Godselect Ndop Christian said the project was designed to create an interactive character capable of understanding user input and simulating basic human conversation.
Speaking at the event, NDI executive director, Kelvin Sampson Fubara described the fair as the beginning of a larger innovation movement in the Niger Delta.
He said the organisation intentionally tagged the event the maiden edition because future editions would continue to expand in scope and impact.
“There will be a second, and a third, and a fourth, and each time it’s going to be way larger,” Fubara said.
The chairman of NDI Board, Dr. Enoch Atuboyedia, and the deputy director, Dr. Tamunoomie Gogo, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to sustaining the fair as an annual event.
The keynote speaker, Dr.
Levi Damingo encouraged students to embrace creativity, experimentation and collaboration, urging them to ask bold questions and develop solutions to societal challenges.
Former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs.
Ibim Semenitari stressed the importance of investing in young innovators.
“If we don’t encourage the future, then our tomorrow is done as well,” Mrs. Semenitari said.
Awards were also presented to distinguished guests, including representatives of the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police Force and Mr. Isaac Audu-Usman of Antigravity Group.
The event also featured the unveiling of the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory built by NDI at Okrika Grammar School, and described by the organisation as the first of its kind in Rivers State.
The organisation at the event disclosed plans to expand the fair to other parts of the Niger Delta in subsequent years, as part of efforts to nurture technology-driven solutions and innovation among young people in the region.
