Nigeria making progress on Covid-19 vaccine, rapid testing kits – Osinbajo

Vice-president Yemi Osinbajo has said the the Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, is already working on the local production of Covid-19 vaccine.

Osinbajo said this, while representing President Buhari, at a virtual forum organised by the Nigerian Academy of Engineering.

This was made known in a statement issued by the VP’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, titled, ‘How COVID-19 pandemic opened up immense talents of Nigerian scientists -By Buhari.’

The presidential aide said giving an update on the production of a local vaccine, Osinbajo noted that the African Centre of Excellence for the Genomics of Infectious Disease located at Redeemer’s University, Ede, has “developed an efficacious rapid test for COVID and has been working on a vaccine in collaboration with DIOSynVax (Digital Immune Optimised Synthetic Vaccines), Cambridge UK, using the DIOSynVax genomic-based technology.

“There are also efforts going on therapeutics of various kinds. The development of vaccines, tests and therapeutics these days is aided by automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence; so, this is a strong point of synergy between science and engineering.”
Describing Nigerian scientists as worthy assets to be nurtured, Osinbajo said the Covid-19 pandemic revealed the potential, talents, and creativity of the scientists.

“I think the pandemic has truly opened up the immense talents and creativity of Nigerian scientists and engineers and if the current momentum is supported, the next few years could be incredibly exciting,” he said.