Nigerian scientists and researchers were unable to clinch the N36 million prize offered by the Federal Government for discovering cures for COVID-19 and Lassa Fever, as revealed by a recent investigation by Media Talk Africa.
The prize, announced on February 13, 2020, by then Minister of Science and Technology (now Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology), Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, remains unclaimed even as of Tuesday, 21 November, 2023 – more than three years after its announcement.
Dr Onu had challenged Nigerian scientists to find cures for coronavirus and Lassa fever, stating that any successful scientist would be rewarded with N36 million. He expressed his optimism about Nigeria’s potential contributions to the global scientific landscape.
Despite the early announcement, no scientist has been able to claim the prize, with the offer seemingly forgotten by many relevant government officials.
On March 1, 2020, Prof. Maurice Iwu, a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, unveiled a potential cure for COVID-19 developed by his research group, Bioresources Institute of Nigeria (BION). The group signed an agreement with a US government agency, but lacked the necessary financial support for further drug development.
The lack of claim for the N36 million prize and the public silence on its status suggests that the offer has faded into obscurity, especially with the departure of the former minister, Ogbonnaya Onu, and the previous administration.
Prof. Mosto Onuoha, the President of the Nigerian Academy of Science at the time, revealed that the issue remained inconclusive, emphasizing the lack of clarity and procedure in the process of awarding the prize.
The N36 million prize, intended to motivate and reward Nigerian scientists, now exists as a symbol of unmet potential and a missed opportunity for scientific advancement in the country.
