Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) need on increased collaboration between the business community and the science and research sector in Nigeria to close the gaps in meeting sustainable development goals, especially in using technology to reduce neonatal mortality.
The call was made to the business community at the public presentation of the winning work of The Nigeria Prize for Science (2023).
The work, by Professor Hippolite Amadi, focuses on three (3) technological innovations aimed at saving the lives of neonates by making the delivery of oxygen cheap and easy. The presentation was organised in collaboration with LCCI.
In his remarks, General Manager of External Relations and Sustainable Development, Andy Odeh, said a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2023 ranked Nigeria as the country with the second highest number of maternal, neonatal and child deaths worldwide, adding that Nigeria stands the risk of normalising neonatal mortality if nothing is done to stop it.
He said that the groundbreaking innovations of Professor Amadi, as recognised by The Nigeria Prize for Science, are not merely a step forward for Nigeria but a beacon of hope for the countless newborn lives that hang in the balance.
Odey who was represented by Yemi Adeyemi, Acting Manager, Corporate Communication and Public Affairs, stated:“We cannot afford to let the cries of our newborns fade into the background of our daily lives.”
According to him, the urgency to combat neonatal mortality is a solemn duty to safeguard the future of Nigeria’s children, stressing “we must answer that call with unwavering determination and immediate, decisive measures.”
Odey stated that the NLNG is very proud of Professor Amadi’s discoveries through The Nigeria Prize for Science adding that “our vision of helping to build a better Nigeria is the core of the prize, and we believe strongly that the 2023 winning entry speaks in unambiguous terms as one of the ways we can achieve this vision.”
He reassured of NLNG committed to the prize saying that it would not relent in finding solutions to the nation’s development issues.
The LCCI Director General, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa, stated in his address that the business interactive forum provided a unique opportunity for the Nigerian business community to learn from Professor Amadi’s work.
He said that if Nigeria, given its natural endowments, is to successfully transform its economy and achieve significant growth, science and technology and its integration into the socio-economic development process must be accorded the highest priority.
He described the recognition of Professor Amadi’s work in the field of newborn and child healthcare, which was selected from over a hundred entries as a significant advancement of neonatal care in Nigeria.
Idahosa called the Nigerian Government to provide targeted funding toward the local production of healthcare and pharmaceutical devices to help reduce the burden of foreign exchange spent on importing most of healthcare needs in Nigeria.
He applauded NLNG, the prize sponsor, for being one of the best-run public-private partnerships that has consistently contributed to the Nigerian economy through dividends and taxes.
In his visual presentation from his base in London, Amadi stated the prize has helped the expansion of his research project in Nigeria, which has led to the creation of additional advanced respiratory devices for neonates operable by nurses and local practitioners.
The Nigeria Prize for Science is a $100,000 award sponsored by NLNG to promote innovations in science and technology that will solve age-long problems and drive development in Nigeria.
