The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Ibrahim Dabo, announced that the university is working on a made‑in‑Nigeria car that will run on water. He made the statement on Saturday in Zaria while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on the occasion of the 2023 World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development.
Prof. Dabo highlighted several recent breakthroughs at ABU, including the development of an electric car and a Shell Eco‑Marathon vehicle. He explained that the Shell Eco‑Marathon car, designed for a racing competition and capable of carrying a maximum of two occupants, can travel over 100 kilometres on a litre of fuel. The car was taken to South Africa, where it performed excellently, and the university is now working to improve its fuel efficiency further. The electric car, also a small vehicle, can accommodate up to four passengers.
The dean noted that the closure of Nigerian universities for the 2023 general elections resulted in a low‑key commemoration of the event at ABU. He described the theme, “Engineering innovations for a more resilient world,” as topical, apt, and timely. Prof. Dabo called on the government to promote outcome‑based education across tertiary institutions to enhance the quality and skills of engineers in Nigeria. He also appealed for stronger collaboration between academia and industry, lamenting that many industries near universities are closed or import skills and essential raw materials, creating a disconnect between the two sectors.
The World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development was proclaimed by UNESCO at its 40th General Conference in 2019. Since 2020, the day has been celebrated worldwide on March 4 each year as an international UNESCO celebration of engineers and engineering.
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