According to Business Day, more than 1,200 students, teachers, and exhibitors from various parts of Kwara State gathered at the Banquet Hall, Ilorin, yesterday for the 2024 Kwara STEM Funfest. The event, organised by Webfala Digital Skills for All Initiative (WDSFAI), a nonprofit organisation, aims to promote STEM education and digital literacy across Nigeria.

In her opening address, the Executive Director of WDSFAI, Nafisat Bakare, restated the commitment of her organisation to empower the next generation with the tools and skills they need to thrive in this rapidly evolving and technology-driven world.

She disclosed that the Kwara STEM Funfest, an annual event hosted by her organisation, aims to ignite young people’s passion for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM), nurture their dreams, discover talents, and spark creativity.

According to Bakare, the theme of this year’s edition, ‘Innovate Green: STEM Paths to a Sustainable World’, reflects her organisation’s dedication to fostering not only technological advancement but also sustainability and environmental consciousness.

“As we face global challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation, the role of STEM in creating innovative, sustainable solutions has never been more important. Through this event, we hope to inspire young minds to see how STEM can be a powerful tool for creating a better, more sustainable future,” she noted.

Speaking further, Bakare appealed to the federal and state governments to increase investment in STEM education and digital skills for Nigerian youth.

She emphasized that equipping young people with essential STEM and digital skills was crucial to addressing the country’s challenges of unemployment and poverty, adding that this investment would shape Nigeria’s future workforce and entrepreneurial landscape.

In his keynote address, the Vice-Chancellor of Summit University, Offa, Abiodun Musa Aibinu spoke on the role of Artificial Intelligence, AI in creating a sustainable world, highlighting its applications in various sectors such as agriculture, energy management, environmental conservation, and healthcare.

Abiodun who was represented at the event by Abdulwaheed Musa, a lecturer at the Kwara State University (KWASU), urged government and policymakers to leverage AI potential to foster sustainable development in Nigeria.

The 2024 Kwara STEM Funfest featured variety of activities, including hands-on workshops, panel sessions, exhibitions, and a debate competition among secondary school students. The highlight of the event was the presentation of prizes to the debate winners.

Eshiet Esther Samuel of Mollys School, Ilorin, emerged as the winner of the debate competition, receiving a cash prize of N150,000.

Similarly, Ojukurolola Ooreofe of Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Model College, Ilorin, and Ahmed Nana-Aisha of Flora Schools, Ilorin, finished as the first and second runners-up, receiving N100,000 and N50,000, respectively.

All the three winners also received new laptops, courtesy of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).