MTN Nigeria has launched Academic Research Development & Innovation Challenge (ARDIC), a unique effort aimed at promoting educational research development in Nigeria.

ARDIC will enhance local innovation by leveraging on MTN’s assets to enable post-graduate students transform their ideas into high-impact solutions. The process began with a call for entry that saw hundreds of applications from post-graduate researchers in various universities across the country.

The shortlisted finalists presented their ideas to an independent body of judges, attendees and dignitaries in Abuja. After a rigorous evaluation process, six winners emerged. Each winner received one million naira prize for their research and will enjoy six months incubation support.

Speaking at the formal launch of ARDIC, the Chief Transformation Officer, MTN Nigeria, Dr. Olubayo Adekanmbi, stated “The solutions to many of the country’s problems can be sourced through qualitative research and innovation. However, lack of funds, dearth of enabling infrastructure and other variables have become encumbrances to young researchers in the country. At MTN Nigeria, we have not only sought ways to understand these issues, we have developed ARDIC to support in-depth research.”

Expressing her excitement, one of the winners, Zainab Ishaq Musa had this to say
‘ This would help me scale up and do more with my research and implement it. We got really good feedback from the judges and these feedback would help me do better. After this, I look forward to start as soon as possible’

MTN has been a leading promoter of science and technology in Nigeria. Its scholarship initiative has seen 8,811 grants worth N1.762 billion benefiting thousands of students across the country.