Two students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure have developed a software application that can notify users about electricity availability in location covered by the app.
The application tagged UpNepa Nigeria enables one to know when and where electricity is available. Salaudeen Taslim, a 500 level student of Remote Sensing and Geoscience Information System and Salaudeen AbdulRaham, a 300 level student of Computer Engineering said the idea to develop the app was borne out of interest and personal development.
They said the inspiration to develop the app emanated from alleviating the suffering and frustration been experienced by students who always look around the campus for power supply for academic purpose and to charge their devices.
On its workability, Taslim said “the application, UpNepa Nigeria, which notifies one of where electricity is available at a particular time not minding the distance and the source of power is a tested application in use by students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure who always aggressively look for electricity for academic and allied services. With this discovery, they easily locate where electricity is available using the app. This has relieved them of the burden of scampering for power supply which is hardly available. This has also reduced the stress they go through moving around at odd hours and taking unnecessary risks.”
According to him, quite a number of FUTA students have confirmed the efficiency and dependability of the application.
Speaking further, Taslim said the idea of UpNepa Nigeria started in January, 2017 after which it went viral among students. Thereafter, the trio of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, the then Dean, Students’ Affairs, Professor Kayode Alese and Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship [CENT], Dr. Ayo Ajayi invited them to encourage them. This eventually metamorphosed into what became the Most Innovative Start up application.
Similarly, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Fuwape and Dean, Students’ Affairs, Professor Gbenga Onibi have given their total support to the success of the discovery. They described the Salaudeens as the pride of FUTA who have the capability to alleviate the suffering being experienced by the masses in the power sector.
To lay credence to the discovery, recently at an event in FUTA to kick start Tech-Hub, a tripartite project between Ondo State Government, FUTA and a Non-Governmental Organisation [NGO], her Excellency, the wife of Ondo State Governor, adjudicators of the pre-launch competition awarded the Salaudeen’s discovery the Most Innovative Start-up and encouraged them not to relent in improving on it but strive to take it to the next level. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, founder of Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria [BRECAN], who was present at the occasion described the app as another testimony to the innovativeness of Nigerian youths.
Taslim said that plans are on to generate revenue from the traffic on the mobile app as it is being improved upon periodically for optional performance. He added that the app is already getting positive attention from other higher institutions in Nigeria.
Taslim and Abdulraham thanked the University Management (past and present} for the encouragement received on the project and promise to always be good ambassadors of the Institution. He said UpNepa Nigeria can be verified via www.upnepa.ng.
Not relenting in their effort, they have also designed an app that enables student event organisers to sell tickets on campus. Still at its pilot stage, they are not relenting in perfecting its workability.
