Mr. Felix Igwe, dean of the Abia Polytechnic School of Engineering, has appealed to investors to support the technical breakthroughs of the school's students in order to generate wealth and advance Nigeria's technological advancement.
Igwe made the call on Tuesday while speaking with newsmen in Aba, Abia.
In order to further the polytechnic's mission of technologically developing the state and the country, he suggested that corporations provide financial support to the creative students.
“One of our students produced a generator that does not use fuel. If produced in large quantity, it will be economical for people to buy.
“Mass-producing the generator will also reduce consumption of petrol and make and our environment cleaner.
“Abia Polytechnic entered the generator in the 2022 competition for tertiary institutions organised by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, and it placed third position.
“This shows that it is an idea that can sell.
“We have also produced a light bulb whose light emitting diode can be changed when the bulb stops producing light to make it come alive again and be useful.
“We are pleading with public-spirited individuals and businessmen to come to our aid to enable us to mass-produce these innovations for the benefit of our country and that of humanity,’’ Igwe stressed.
The innovator, Mr Isidore Ihuoma, a High National Diploma (HND) II, Electrical and Electronics undergraduate of the polytechnic, told NAN that he came about the idea while seeking clean power supply in homes.
He said he was challenged to work on the idea to create an alternative power supply source independent of the national grid.
He said he designed the generator in July using a motor, a DC battery, and an alternator with some other accessories.
Ihuoma said the life-span of the generator is dependent on the strength of the battery used adding that its output could be increased with more powerful batteries.
He appealed to governments and individuals to assist him financially improve on the usefulness of the innovation.