Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN)

There is hope for Nigeria as great young minds came together to identify problems facing the nation and offer highly innovative solutions at STEM Careers Campaign (Science Technology Mathematic Engineering) held at National College, Gbagada, Thursday, 14 November 2015. The program is an initiative of Junior Achievement Nigeria in partnership with General Electric (GE). Ten Secondary schools across Lagos State were in attendance at the event and students were deployed into fifteen teams. They were advised to work as a team to create a unique name; decide on a problem to solve; brainstorm to create a PowerPoint presentation. Also present at the event were Mrs. Efua Edeh, (Executive Director, JAN), Mrs. Elizabeth Bintliff (President, JA Africa), Mrs. Chinwe Effiong (Fr. President JA Africa), JAN staff and GE Volunteers. After the illuminating series of presentations by the fifteen teams there were four winning teams and Team 2, "Creative SACE’s" emerged the winners...

Over the last decade, several African countries has gained the world’s attention as emerging innovation hubs. We have seen technologies like M-Pesa, Mellowcabs electric minicabs and Saavyloo pedal-operated waterless toilets, created by STEM entrepreneurs to address some of the real challenges faced on the continent. To maintain this trend, there is a need, across the continent, for greater emphasis on hands-on STEM education that bridges the gap between theory, entrepreneurship and STEM innovation. Additionally, given the realities of global warming, natural resource depletion, energy crises, and environmental degradation, it is critical that STEM solutions to development challenges are sustainable. Innovations should not only create greater efficiencies to produce financial gains or simplify and improve our lives, but must also reduce and/or reverse environmental impacts, so future generations can continue to adequately provide for their needs. GE has excelled as a leader in thi...