The Innovation Technology Management Office has welcomed the idea of partnership and possible collaborations for the advancement of common objectives between Sterling Bank and the university.
To this end, the Office along with the University’s Zero Emission / EV Charging Station teams led by Professor Akinfenwa Fashanu of System Engineering department held a groundbreaking meeting with the Renewable Energy and Mobility Unit of the bank on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. The six-man delegation of Sterling Bank also toured some of the facilities in the Faculty of Engineering.
The delegation included the Head of Projects, Akinkunmi Akingbogun; Product Manager, QORE, Albert Opara; TL Mobility Products, Williams Tom-Ita; Project Officer, Shola Openiyi; R&D Officer, Gift Nnamani and Product Analyst, Sandra Arachie an alumna of Faculty of Engineering, UNILAG.
The Bank’s Group Head, Renewable Energy and Mobility, Olabanjo Alimi who led the delegation, said their visit was to assess innovations on campus, that could get to the commercialization stage.
According to him, “the Zero Emission Vehicle is a novel invention and a good start for a possible partnership. So I have led the team from Sterling Bank to compare notes and identify possible areas of collaboration for the advancement of our common objectives. I am quite optimistic that this will encourage indigenous engineering innovation”.
Earlier in her remarks, the Acting Director of ITMO, Dr. Abiodun Gbenga-Ilori elaborated the process required to take innovation from ideation to commercialization, and the role of the ITMO, UNILAG in this process. She commended Sterling Bank for finding the institution worthy of the opportunity to impact society.
Similarly, Professor Akinfenwa Fashanu who is the Leader of the National Automobile Design Council (NADC) expressed confidence that the proposed collaboration between the University and the bank would be mutually beneficial.
The University of Lagos Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) was initiated in 2018 and the production is an invaluable addition to the university’s efforts at preventing the release of toxic emissions to the environment.
