Ibrahim Dabo, the dean of, the Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria, said the university is working to develop a made-in-Nigeria car that will use water.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Zaria regarding the celebration of World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development in 2023, the dean made this statement.
Professor Dabo claimed that ABU had made several advances, including the most recent creation of an electric vehicle and a shell eco-marathon vehicle.
He continued by saying that the faculty was developing an automobile that would run on water.
According to him, the university-developed shell eco-marathon automobile could travel more than 100 kilometers on a single liter of petrol.
He asserts that the university is attempting to increase the shell eco-marathon car’s fuel efficiency and that it was driven to South Africa where it performed superbly.
“The shell eco-marathon car was designed as a compact, two-person racing vehicle, not a mass transit vehicle,” he explained.
He continued by saying that the newly created electric vehicle is also a compact vehicle that seats no more than four people.
The dean did point out that the low-key nature of the event’s remembrance at ABU was due to the closure of Nigerian universities for the 2023 general elections.
He characterized the event’s theme, “Engineering innovations for a more resilient world,” as urgent, relevant, and appropriate.
Thus, Mr. Dabo called on the government to encourage outcome-based education across tertiary institutions to boost and strengthen the quality and skills of engineers produced in Nigeria.
Also, the professor called for increased cooperation between academia and business.
He bemoaned the fact that the majority of the industries surrounding most colleges were shut down, and that the few that were still operating imported raw materials and skilled labor, creating a parallel relationship between academia and business.
NAN reminds us that in 2019, at its 40th General Session, UNESCO declared April 22 to be the International Engineering Day for Sustainable Development.
From 2020, March 4 has been designated as an international day of celebration of engineers and engineering by UNESCO.
