Nigeria Water Sanitation Hygiene organisation (WASH) has awarded 17.5 million naria to five startup businesses for creating innovative solutions to address water sanitation hygiene challenges in Nigeria.
The Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu said the innovations made by the selected startups would help strengthen the national plan for WASH.
WASH organizes a yearly innovation challenge programme that provides a platform for innovators and entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas.
According to the organisers of the challenge, they received 118 applications out of which 80 startup businesses were shortlisted for the boot camp and at the end of the programme only five startups ideas were approved.
The five startups are Schrodinger, Tech Retreasure, Junkyard, Green Cycle and Sparkling Light. Each of them received N3.5 million naria and a four month mentorship programme during the WASH Hackathon Innovation Fair programme which was held in Lagos.
The Chief Corporate Service Officer of HIS Nigeria Dapo Otunla, while speaking at the event said the organisation is working towards eradicating open defecation by 2025.
Otunla added that 3000 books on open defecation have been donated to communities across Nigeria and 13 mechanized solar boreholes installed across communities.
Adamu opined that these ideas and initiative will bridge the gap and shortcomings of the sector. He added that against the concerns about access to safe water, the initiative offers opportunities for investment to good water supply, job creation and poverty reduction.
