By Goodluck Ikiebe
Nigeria’s Digital company, Dumena Technologies, has concluded plans to hold AI-Robotics Championship for Secondary Schools Students.
The Managing Director and Convener, Mr Kingsley Ezejiaku, who unveiled the plan to Newsmen in Abuja on Saturday, said the Dumena Ai-Robotics
Championship was designed for school children aged 10-18 years.
“The Robotics Championship is a highly anticipated annual event that provides an opportunity for
school children to showcase their skills in building and programming robots”, Ezejioku stated.
Mr Kingsley Ezejiaku explained that the competition aims to
inspire the next generation of engineers and technology enthusiasts by giving them a platform to
collaborate and challenge themselves.
According to him, the Robotics Championship is not just about winning or losing; it is about learning and collaborating.
“Participants will have the opportunity to learn from each other, and engage with subject matter experts,
who will be on hand to offer advice and guidance every weekend. The championship is ultimately a
celebration of the creativity, innovation, and emerging intelligence of Nigeria’s next generation of
technology leaders”.
He added, “Nigerian startups raise significant sums yearly, increasing our tax base, hiring
locals and developing solutions to our issues through the application of local context”.
“DUMENA is
thrilled to be at the forefront of talent pipeline development that ensures the continued growth of
Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa’s tech ecosystem”.
“We are thrilled to announce that this year’s championship will be broadcast, allowing a wider audience
to witness the incredible talent and achievements of our precious kids.
The Robotics Championship is open to school children aged 10-18 years, and we encourage schools,
teachers, and parents to encourage participation”, he added.
In his words, “the competition is a great opportunity for students to
develop their technical and teamwork skills, as well as make new friends and gain valuable
experience”.
Ezejiaku stated that the company is looking forward to seeing the amazing creations and innovations that the participants will bring to the
championship, and they can’t wait to see the next generation of African Innovators take their first steps
towards building a brighter future for themselves and for the Continent.
Also speaking, Professor Bell Ihua, a co- convener, said, “We are bringing the students together in order to create solutions to problems faced by people in Nigeria and Africa through the Championship”
Professor Ihua expressed their readiness to partner with government agencies to develop the IT sector in Nigeria.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of Ventures park, Jayeola Okuazun, assured that the collaboration with Dumena Technologies will result in discovering talents that will rule the IT sector for economic development in Nigeria.
“Another vibrant sector that can contribute to Nigeria’s GDP is Technology, away from Oil and Agriculture”, Aina remarked.
He said that the
competition is a great opportunity for students to develop their technical and teamwork skills, as well
as make new friends and gain valuable experience.
Our Correspondent reports that those interested in getting their school on the Championship, for this and subsequent editions, can register through
https://bit.ly/robotics-championship-register.
The competition is organised by Dumena’s team of experienced educators and industry
professionals, who believe in the power of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM) education to inspire and empower the next generation.
This year’s competition is the maiden edition, with participants from all over the Federal Capital
Territory coming together to compete in the designing, building and programming of robots.
The
championship will be held over a three-month period, February to April, 2023 and will include weekend-on workshops,
exhibitions, and online classes with seasoned robots.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Schools must put forward not less than 5 student participants.
- Participants may group themselves into teams of between 3-5 members, though individual
participation is acceptable. - School must be a registered/govt-approved school operational in Abuja FCT (AMAC)
- Solution proposed by participants must be in alignment with Curriculum provided for the
Championship, - Participants must be within the ages of 10-18 and must be able to defend their project entry
without help.
Physical support is available every
weekend as each will be entitled to 2 slots of 5 hours in total.
The grand finale will be held on April 29th.
