President Bola Tinubu has extended his congratulations to six distinguished Nigerians in the Diaspora who were named among the 400 recipients of the United States Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).
The award, established in 1996 by former US President Bill Clinton, is the highest honour given by the US government to early-career scientists and engineers for outstanding contributions to research and innovation.
The latest recipients were announced by US President Joe Biden on January 14, 2025.
In a statement issued on Thursday, January 16, by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu applauded the honourees for their groundbreaking achievements in science, technology, and engineering.
“This recognition of exceptional talent underscores Nigerians’ vast potential to excel both at home and on the global stage,” the President stated.
He encouraged the awardees to bring their multidisciplinary expertise to support Nigeria’s development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Nigerian Recipients
The Nigerian awardees include:
- Azeez Butali, Gilbert Lilly Endowed Professor of Diagnostic Sciences at the University of Iowa’s College of Dentistry.
- Ijeoma Opara, Associate Professor of Public Health at Yale School of Public Health, Yale University.
- Oluwatomi Akindele, Postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- Eno Ebong, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biology at Northeastern University.
- Oluwasanmi Koyejo, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University.
- Abidemi Ajiboye, Executive Vice Chair at the Case School of Engineering’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University.
The honourees are among scientists and engineers employed or funded by 14 US government agencies. Their achievements reflect a commitment to advancing innovation and tackling global challenges.
President Tinubu’s administration has emphasised fostering talent and leveraging expertise from Nigerians in the Diaspora to propel the nation’s progress, particularly in fields like technology and engineering.
The PECASE recipients’ success serves as an inspiration, showcasing Nigeria’s potential to produce global leaders in innovation and scientific advancement.
