Team of Three Researchers Wins 2024 The Nigeria Prize for Science

Bennett Oghifo

The Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Science, yesterday, announced a team of three scientists as winner of the of the 2024 edition of the prize.

Members of the team, announced by the Board at a press conference in Lagos yesterday are: Eni Oko, Olajide Otitoju, and Meihong Wang.

The trio was recognised for their pioneering work on “Process Intensification Technology for Greenhouse Emission Control in Power Generation and Industry for Sustainable Fuel Production (PIC-FUEL)”.

At the press conference, the board noted the importance of the 2024 competition theme: “Innovations and Technologies for Reducing the Effect of Climate Change,” which underscored the need for urgent solutions to environmental challenges.

According to the Chairman of the Advisory Board, Professor Barth Nnaji, the innovation could significantly reduce harmful emissions from power plants and factories while creating cleaner, greener fuels.

Eni Oko is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Chemical Engineering at Newcastle University, United Kingdom(UK), while Olajide Otitoju is a Research Associate at the University of Sheffield, UK. Meihong Wang, is a Professor of Process and Energy Systems Engineering, specialising in Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) at the University of Sheffield, UK. Professor Wang is winning the prize for the second time after his 2019 win with Dr. Mathew Aneke with their work on Carbon Capture, Carbon Utilisation, Biomass Gasification and Energy Storage for Power Generation.

In his remarks earlier, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr. Andy Odeh,  lauded The Nigeria Prize for Science and its sister awards, The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism, for making a significant impact on the science and literary development in the country in the last 20 years.

He thanked the Advisory Board for their dedication and exceptional contributions to the Prize’s integrity and elevation to international standards. He also paid tribute to former board members and science committees, honouring the late Prof. Umaru Shehu, the first Chairman of the Prize’s committee, who was instrumental in conceptualising the prize and establishing its foundational values of integrity, transparency, and steadfastness.

Explaining the significance of the groundbreaking work by the three scientists, Prof. Nnaji stated that the PIC-FUEL technology worked by capturing CO2 emissions directly from industrial sources such as power plants, cement factories, and refineries. He said the emissions are passed through a unit called the Rotating Packed Bed (RPB), where CO2 is absorbed using a solvent and the absorbed CO2 is then converted into methanol through a reaction with hydrogen in an electrolyser machine. The methanol can then be directly blended with diesel or sold as a product.

“Imagine if every time a factory or power plant released CO2, instead of harmful gases escaping into the atmosphere, those gases were captured, transformed, and repurposed into cleaner, more sustainable fuels. That is exactly what PIC-FUEL does. This revolutionary approach could cut emissions by 40 per cent, significantly reducing Nigeria’s carbon footprint and helping the country achieve its 2060 net-zero goals without expensive government subsidies. PIC-FUEL implementation will fully decarbonise the power and industrial sectors and deliver up to 20 per cent decarbonisation of diesel-fueled transportation and household/SME electricity generators through the supply of cleaner diesel.

“The technology doesn’t just ensure cleaner air; it also offers significant economic benefits. It could reduce the cost of cutting down emissions by 30-40 per cent, translating to considerable reductions in the national budgetary requirement for implementing the Nigerian Energy Transition Plan, equivalent to $120-140 billion, and achieving the 2060 net zero target. Additionally, by producing cleaner diesel locally, the country could save up to $500 million annually in foreign exchange, strengthening the local economy and stabilising the Naira.

He disclosed that the proof of concept of the winning work has been established in the UK and Norway.

A panel of judges reached this year’s decision made up of three distinguished Professors in relevant areas of science: Prof. Francisca Nneka Okeke (Chairman), Prof. Saminu Abdulrahman Ibrahim, and Prof. Grace Oloukoi. 

Other members of the Advisory Board are: Chief  Nike Akande, a two-time minister and former President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Professor Yusuf Abubakar, a professor of Animal Breeding and Quantitative Genetics and the Coordinator of Agriculture Group, R & D Standing Committee, at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.