Education

Why KFSD is Investing in Nigeria’s Future Innovators – Akinremi

Published

3 months ago

September 20, 2025

Joel Ajayi

Over 90 secondary school students have benefitted from the 2025 STEM Construction Summer Camp (SCSC), an initiative of the Kaiser Foundation for Social Development (KFSD) in partnership with GIZ, designed to inspire young Nigerians to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Speaking during the Abuja leg of the third phase of the programme, Omotara Akinremi, programme consultant for KFSD and CSR lead at Construction Kaiser Limited and Hermann E. Kaiser Limited, explained that the camp was created to revive interest in STEM while equipping students with both technical and soft skills.

“For four days, we have exposed students to the value of STEM through hands-on activities, career talks, and site visits. Many young people are no longer pursuing STEM-related careers, so we introduced this initiative to bridge the gap. Beyond STEM, we also focused on integrity, communication, and teamwork, while industry experts shared practical knowledge on masonry, carpentry, and civil engineering,” Akinremi said.

Participants also visited a construction site in Asokoro, Abuja, where they gained first-hand experience of how projects are executed. According to Akinremi, the camp has achieved its objectives, as students left with new knowledge, confidence, and motivation to pursue STEM.

This year’s programme, held in Jos and Abuja, trained a total of 95 students — 30 each in the first two phases and 35 in Abuja. To ensure continuity, KFSD and GIZ plan to establish STEM clubs in schools, with private sector mentors supporting students through consistent engagement.

Akinremi further noted that KFSD tracks past participants through their university years and even provides scholarships for outstanding students. She highlighted the case of an alumna, now a lawyer, who recently shared on LinkedIn how the camp shaped her career journey.

Fifteen-year-old Etefia Esther Godwin from Government Science and Technical College, Garki, described the camp as “exciting and inspiring.”

She said: “The programme taught me how to pursue my dreams and not be afraid of challenges. We also learned practical skills, made new friends, and visited real construction sites. I want to thank KFSD and GIZ for organising this programme because it has truly inspired us.”

Now in its third phase, the SCSC continues to prove how industry, development partners, and schools can work together to nurture Nigeria’s next generation of innovators, builders, and problem-solvers.

Share on Facebook

Education

Nigerian Teen Makes Historic Breakthrough in $400,000 Global Science Competition

Published

23 hours ago

December 5, 2025

The Gleamer

A brilliant young Nigerian student, Daniel Adeluy ihas advanced to the semi-finals of the 2025 Breakthrough Junior Challenge, which is one of the world’s most prestigious global science competitions for teenagers.

From thousands of entries worldwide, only 30 semi-finalists were selected, and Daniel is the first Nigerian in the competition’s 11-year history to reach this remarkable stage.

Daniel’s submission, a visually engaging, two-minute video, explains wormholes in a simple and intuitive way. Why wormholes? In his words:

“For me, wormholes represent a path to reaching the seemingly unreachable. I’ve always been a curious person and an avid reader and books about space, physics, and the mysteries of the universe fascinate me. I find it interesting that physics can turn ideas that seem impossible into things that could be real. I love adventure, and my passion for science and media intersected perfectly in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge.”
The stakes are enormous:$250,000 university scholarship for the winner$50,000 prize for the teacher.

$100,000 state-of-the-art science laboratory for the school.

Daniel is on the verge of making history, and he needs public support to reach the finals.He has developed interests across academics, leadership, and creative activities.

He previously served as the Assistant Head Boy at Brickhall School Abuja, where he received the Chairman’s Award for Academic Excellence during his graduation ceremony. Daniel captains his estate’s U18 football team and also enjoys basketball.

In addition, he taught himself to play the keyboard and has composed a number of original pieces, reflecting his willingness to explore different skills and hobbies.

Daniel is the founder of BRAINS (Building Real-world Artificial Intelligence and Next-generation Skills), a youth-focused nonprofit that provides children with early exposure to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

His mission is to help younger students develop confidence and curiosity about the future of work.
A Passion for Learning, Storytelling, and Discovery.

Daniel credits his communication skills to his habit of consuming high-quality educational content.

He frequently watches National Geographic and history documentaries, and enjoys reading scientific classics such as A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.These resources, he says, shaped his ability to connect complex ideas and present them in clear and engaging ways, skills essential to the Breakthrough Junior Challenge.

Since 2021, Daniel has also volunteered in his church (The Capital Assembly’s) media unit, where he gained hands-on experience in storytelling and content production. These skills played a direct role in the polished science video that earned him global recognition.

Call for Public SupportTo advance to the final round, Daniel needs likes on his video posted on both the Breakthrough Prize Facebook page and YouTube channel.The submission with the highest combined engagement gets a guaranteed spot in the finals.

Daniel is calling on Nigerians at home and abroad to support his journey.“I would be very grateful if people would watch my video and like it on both platforms if they enjoy it,” he said.

Share on Facebook