X3M Ideas, a Nigerian pan-African creative advertising agency, has unveiled a newly revamped science laboratory at the Oregun Junior High School in Lagos in celebration of its ninth anniversary in support of the delivery of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning and teaching outcome.
“Considering how important STEM is to the growth and development of Nigeria, the number of graduates in scientific disciplines is horribly low. We’re aiming to drive a change in this regard by enabling the science-related dreams of the students in Oregun Junior High,” said Steve Babaeko, founder, X3M Ideas.
According to Babaeko, the advertising agency commissioned the renovated lab for the use of students and teachers of the co-educational school, to further their STEM-related interests as part of its student-based Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts.
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“Over 40 per cent of the roughly 200 million residents in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, are youth. Confident, fervid and enterprising, they want to chart their own course and are hopeful for the future of the nation,” Babaeko said.
According to the World Bank, the number of scientists and engineers in sub-Saharan Africa are very low compared to more industrialized countries. The region only has 91 researchers per million inhabitants compared to the world average of 1,083 researchers.
Speaking further on the drive behind the initiative, Babaeko disclosed that for nine years, X3M Ideas has consistently delivered impactful social intervention projects. “By renovating classrooms, office blocks, sick bays, libraries and donating computers, UPS devices, air conditioners, internet modems with unlimited data and unique wash hand stations and disinfectant tunnels, the X3M team have over time shown their unrelenting dedication to support students in their immediate communities”.
