Chinese scientist wins Nigeria's top science award

A Chinese scientist, together with his Nigerian research partner, won Nigeria's most prestigious science award on Wednesday for their outstanding contribution to scientific and technological innovation, the award advisory board announced here.

Wang Meihong and Mathew Aneke won this year's Nigeria Prize for Science worth $100,000 for their works on carbon capture, utilization, and biomass gasification and energy storage for power generation, the prize advisory board told a news conference.

In its 15-year history, it is the first time that a non-Nigerian has been awarded the prize, which is sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited.

Akpoveta Susu, chairman of the advisory board, said that their works would address critical environmental issues, notably deforestation, carbon production, climate change and the resultant effects such as erosion, drought and desertification.

He said their joint works "demonstrated innovative and holistic strategy to tackle climate change impacts and therefore merits the Nigeria Prize for Science Award 2019."

"This year's award has highlighted the international nature of the award which involved a joint research between a Nigerian and a non-Nigerian, both collaborating on works which precipitate great potential for solutions to the global issue of climate change," he added.

"We congratulate Professor Wang and Dr. Aneke for a job well done. They have been consistent in their research efforts geared toward development of environment friendly and alternative power supply technologies," Susu told Xinhua.

According to Susu, there will be an awarding ceremony in October in Nigeria.

Wang is a professor of energy systems at the University of Sheffield in Britain. He is a chartered engineer and has published over 100 technical papers and industrial reports.

Aneke, a graduate of Federal University of Technology in Nigeria, is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Sheffield with expertise in process design and modelling, power system analysis, power generation, renewable energy and environmental protection.

The Nigeria Prize for Science is an annual Nigerian science award since 2004 for excellence in science breakthroughs.