By Mahdi Waziri Isa
The Research Fair Committee of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has launched its maiden Research Fair.
The event took place on Thursday, 23rd January, 2025 at the Taekwondo Gym of the Ahmadu Bello University main campus, Samaru.
The maiden event themed, “Showcasing Innovation, Celebrating Excellence,” had in attendance the Vice Chancellor, Professor Kabiru Bala, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Professor Ahmed Doko as the Chief launcher.
In his remarks before launching the fair, the Vice Chancellor described research as the second mandate of the university after teaching, which is aimed at providing solutions to existing social problems, adding that it was to that effect that the new office of the deputy vice chancellor for Research and Development was created.
The Vice Chancellor also commended the researchers for their wonderful job in providing solutions to human problems, urging them to work in synergy with other relevant departments and centers to enhance their research and production.
Talking to the newsmen, the Vice Chancellor highlighted the university’s resolve to start commercializing its research products to the wider market, assuring that a policy would also be made by the management to provide a platform for selling some of the exhibited research products to the university community and other neighbouring communities.
Products including Electric Cooker, Smart Gate, Hydroponics Automotive Farming System, Mobile Solar Deep Freezer, Free Energy Electrical Generator, Food delivery drone, Cereals, Preserved Vegetables, Snacks, Oil Paint, Tompa vegetable powders, a website designed to help diabetic patients to recommend and sell healthy food, and lots more, were selected for the exhibition from several departments and research centres such as National Agricultural and Extension Liaison Services (NAERLS), Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Departments of Mechatronics, Mechanical, Automative and Computer Engineering, ENACTUS, and The Africa Center of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB).