FIIRO EMPOWERING YOUTHS ON AGRO-PROCESSING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

On Wednesday, 31st August, 2016, the Director-General/CEO, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi led a delegation of FIIRO management team on courtesy visit to the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.  The DG/CEO in her opening remarks congratulated the Ooni of Ife on his installation as the Ooni of Ife and wish him divine wisdom as he leads the entire Yoruba Kingdom. She commended the Ooni for His economic empowerment initiative for youth and women most especially the widows through the Ife Youth Agropreneurship Programme with emphasis on agriculture and agro-processing.

WAAPP-COTE D’IVOIRE VISITS FIIRO ON CASSAVA, PLANTAIN AND CORN PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES

WAAPP-Nigeria led a 7-man delegation from WAAPP-Cote D’Ivoire (West Africa Agriculture Productivity Programme-Cote D’Ivoire)  to the Institute on Tuesday, 2^nd March, 2016 on fact finding mission. The delegation was received by the Director-General/CEO, Dr. (Mrs.) G.N Elemo and top management of the Institute at a brief ceremony at the Institute’s Board Room. Dr. Adeogun, WAAPP-Nigeria who led the delegation to the Institute said the delegation from Cote D’Ivoire comprises of two officials from WAAPP-Cote D’Ivoire including the Deputy National Coordinator WAAPP-Cote D’Ivoire, Lorng Jean Paul and five Ivorian investors who have shown interest in adopting suitable technologies from Nigeria for commercial processing of Cassava, plantain, Corn and fish.

FIIRO PARTNERS WITH A NETHERLAND BASED COMPANY ON DRYING TECHNOLOGY

The Chief Executive Officer, Ajere Holding BV, The Netherlands, Engr. Steve Ajere was received at the Institute on Thursday, 25^th February, 2016 by the Director-General/CEO of FIIRO, Dr. (Mrs.) G.N Elemo. The technical visit was to discuss collaboration on Drying Technology for food and agro-allied products.

The DG/CEO while welcoming the guests noted that it was high time to develop perfect drying systems for food and agro-allied products to address the issue of food waste due to increasing rate of postharvest losses currently estimated between 35% and 50% for most agro-commodities in Nigeria.

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, FIIRO AND NASCO FOODS LTD SIGN MoU ON COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION OF HIGH NUTRIENT DENSITY BISCUIT FOR SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME

The event started about 11.45am at the Minister’s Conference room with the Hon. Minister, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu as the Chairman. The event was anchored by the Deputy Director Press, Mr. Akinyemi who introduced the Hon. Minister, the Permanent Secretary, the DG/CEO FIIRO, Directors and Principal Officers of the Ministry who were present at the occasion. He also took time to introduce the DG/CEO, National Office Technology Acquisition and Patenting (NOTAP), Dr. Ibrahim and the DG/CEO, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Haruna who were also present at the occasion.

After the introduction of men of the press (which include NTA, AIT, Channels TV, TVC, Guardian, The Nation, Sun, Tribune, Leadership, Aljazeera, VOA, VON, FRCN, Nigerian Pilot, Daily Trust, BBC, and so on), he politely asked the FIIRO team and the Nasco team to do self introduction. On the Nasco’s team were: Alh. Sani Ibrahim, the Representative of Chairman; Mr. Idris Nasreddin, the Managing Director; Mr. Shehu Nyelong, the Admin. Manager and Mr. James Nwunze, the Marketing Manager. On the FIIRO team were: Dr. Dele Oyeku – Director, Extension & Linkage; Dr. O. Oluwole – Director, Food Technology; Mr. J.O Oderinde – Director – Finance & Accounts; Mr. T.O Ajayi, Deputy Director – Planning, Research & Statistics; Mrs. I.O Layode – Deputy Director and Head, Abuja Liaison Office and Mr. Patrick Usen, CEO, Inter-Heritage Promotion (a Consultant to FIIRO).

FIIRO PARTNERS SAMDPIN MARITIME LIMITED ON TECHNO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING FOR UNEMPLOYED YOUTH.

Samdpin Maritime Limited partnered with the Institute under its National Techno-entrepreneurship Development Initiative to train 30 unemployed youths who are repentant militants.

The training took place at the Little Paradise Hotel, Effurun, Delta State from 8^th January to 10^th January, 2016. The participants were grouped into three groups based on their technologies of interest. The three technologies are: Fish Smoking, Cassava Processing and Fruit Juice production. The technologies were carefully selected based on raw materials of relative abundance in Delta State and ease of setting up by participants after the training.

Apart from the technical component, the participants were also exposed to the management component of entrepreneurial skill so that they will be able to set up and manage their enterprises with relative ease.

FIIRO TRAINS 50 YOUTHS FROM DELTA STATE

 The Institute as part of its efforts to address the issue of unemployment and youths restiveness in the Niger Delta area trained 50 youths from Delta State drawn from Ubulu-Uku Youths Association under its National Techno-entrepreneurship Development Programme. The 3-day intensive techno-entrepreneurship development training took place at the Institute between Monday, 18^th January and Wednesday, 20^th January, 2016. The Director-General/CEO, Dr. (Mrs.) G.N Elemo during the opening ceremony informed the participants that the 3-day techno-entrepreneurship development training is centred on five technologies namely: Fish Smoking; Fruit Juice Production; High Quality Cassava Flour Production; Instant Pounded Yam Flour Production and Bread and Confectioneries baking which have been carefully selected to facilitate smooth take off by participants especially in terms of financial requirements and other logistics required to start an enterprise.

MOTIVE INTERNATIONAL PARLEYS FIIRO ON SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME

In order to further consolidate the relationship between the Institute and Motive International – an American company, a team comprising of Ms Morgan Keay-Chief Executive Officer; Miss Jennifer Prillaman- Business Development Executive and Tunji Ladner – the Nigerian Representative visited the Institute on Monday, 25^th January, 2016. The team was received by the Director-General/CEO of the Institute, Dr. (Mrs.) G.N Elemo assisted by Dr. Dele Oyeku (Director, Extension & Linkage) and Mr. Patrick Usen, the Chief Executive Officer, Inter-Heritage Promotions Limited, a Consultant to the Institute on R&D commercialization.

The DG/CEO, Dr. (Mrs.) G.N Elemo said she was very glad to receive Ms. Morgan Keay and her team back to the Institute for further discussion on developing a sustainable model for the National School Feeding Programme.

FMST AT 2016 OFFSHORE WEST AFRICA YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME

The Hon. Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu was ably represented by the DG/CEO, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), Dr. (Mrs.) G.N Elemo at the 20^th Anniversary Edition of the Offshore West Africa Conference & Exhibition held at Eko Hotel & Suites between 26^th - 28th January, 2016 held under the auspices of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and endorsement of Nigeria’s Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

The Offshore West Africa Youth Employment Programme (YEP) is an important component of the Offshore West Africa Conference & Exhibition, an initiative owned by PenWell and designed by Lonadek in collaboration with the Energy Institute. At the event, the Hon. Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu gave a keynote address at the opening ceremony, presented a Ministerial speech on Youth Employment Programme during the Youth Employment Programme Session and declared the exhibition opened.

NATIONAL SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM, FMST/FIIRO – NASCO - INTERHERITAGE COLLABORATION

A team of highly experienced technical staff of NASCO Foods Limited, Jos visited the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi on Wednesday, 13^th January, 2016 at the instance of the Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu for further discussion on the collaborative effort on the National School Feeding Programme. The team was received on arrival by the DG/CEO of FIIRO, Dr. (Mrs.) Gloria N. Elemo and some other top management staff of the Institute including: Director, Chemical, Fibre and Environmental Technology - Dr. Chima Igwe; Director, Food Technology - Dr. (Mrs.) Toyin Oluwole and Director, Extension & Linkage -Dr. Dele Oyeku. On NASCO team were: Technical Director -Alh. Bala Saleh; Supply Chain Director - Alh. Mohammed Shakir; Marketing Manager - Mr. James Iwunze; Category Brand Manager- Mr. Gbolahan Oyenuga and Mr. Haruna Harry Audu – Legal Adviser.

The visit was in respect of the collaborative effort of FMST/FIIRO – NASCO for commercial production of High Nutrient Density (HND) Biscuit developed by FMST through FIIRO for the School Feeding Programme of the Federal Government. The HND biscuit is developed to meet one third Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) requirements of school age children to be produced on commercial basis by NASCO Foods Limited. According to the DG/CEO, FIIRO, Dr. (Mrs.) G.N Elemo, the collaboration is going to be win- win for all the parties involved and the benefit is enormous from the angle of utilization of indigenous raw materials in the formulation of the biscuits; conservation of foreign exchange; creation of jobs and improvement in enrolments of school children as well as enhancement of mental capacity of the children.

FIIRO PARTNERS NASCO ON COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION OF HIGH NUTRIENT DENSITY BISCUIT FOR SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM

Representatives of Nasco Foods Ltd. namely James Iwunze- Marketing Manager; Gbolahan Oyenuga- Brand Manager – Foods; and Harry Audu- Legal Adviser  visited the Institute on Wednesday, 9^th December, 2015 as a follow up on the company’s interest in commercialization of High Nutrient Density Biscuit developed at FIIRO for school age children between the ages 5 and 12. This biscuit is able to meet one-third of the recommended daily dietary allowance for the children in these age bracket.