All around the world, people strive to improve upon machines, products, or processes to bring about increased efficiency or reduce cost. Some others go on to develop entirely new concepts. Both classes of people in the first two sentences are referred to as inventors. There are Nigerians all over the world who are credited for one or more inventions. In this article, we would be mentioning them, and their inventions as well as indicating if such inventions have been patented.
Read on.
This is a list of Nigerian inventors:
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Samuel Achilefu
Samuel Achilefu is credited with several inventions, some of which have been granted patent rights by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Notable of his invention is the CancerVision Goggle. Below is a list of his inventions that patents have already been granted by the USPTO:
- Dichromic fluorescent compounds
Patent No.: 11406719
Year the Patent was Granted: 2022
- Compositions and methods for treatment and imaging using nanoparticles
Patent No.: 11007286
Year the Patent was Granted: 2021
- Fluorescent polymethine cyanine dyes
Patent No.: 8344158
Year the Patent was Granted: 2013
- Compositions and methods for treatment and imaging using nanoparticles
Patent No.: 9974870
Year the Patent was Granted: 2018
- Homing agents
Patent No.: 9849201
Year the Patent was Granted: 2017
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Silas Adekunle
Silas Adekunle is a Nigerian inventor that is widely known for creating the world’s first gaming robot. He and three others are credited for the invention of the gaming robot. Below are the details of the patent that has been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the gaming robot:
- Gaming robot
Patent No.: 10610792
Year the Patent was Granted: 2020
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Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye
Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, the just past Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is an inventor that has 5 patents, including those that have already been granted and those still pending. Below is a list of her patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for her inventions:
- Controlled release pharmaceutical
Patent No.: 6566347
Year the Patent was Granted: 2003
- Orally administrable time release drug containing products
Patent number: 6156340
Year Patent was Granted: 2000
- In-situ gel ophthalmic drug delivery system of estradiol or other estrogen for prevention of cataracts
Patent No.: 8679511
Year the Patent was Granted: 2014
It is important to note that she and others contributed to the invention of the above-mentioned inventions. Antiretroviral drug formulations for treatment of children exposed to HIV/AIDS is one of her inventions (with the contributions of two others) that’s still pending to be granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Akintunde Ibitayo Akinwade
Akintunde Ibitayo Akinwade is a Nigerian inventor who has several inventions that have already been granted patents by the United States Patents and Trademark Office (USTPO) as well as those whose applications are still pending by the same body. Below is a list of his inventions that have been granted by the USPTO:
- Distributed, field emission-based X-ray source for phase contrast imaging
Patent No.: 10068740
Year the Patent was Granted: 2018
- Method for coded-source phase contrast X-ray imaging
Patent No.: 10045752
Year the Patent was Granted: 2018
- Self-aligned gated emitter tip arrays
Patent No.: 9196447
Year the Patent was Granted: 2015
- Precise hand-assembly of microfabricated components
Patent No.: 7900336
Year the Patent was Granted: 2011
- Organic field emission device
Patent No.: 6870312
Year the Patent was Granted: 2005
These above-mentioned inventions had other contributors aside from Akintunde Ibitayo Akinwade.
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Deji Akinwade
Deji Akinwade is a Nigerian inventor who is credited with inventions in the fields of electronics and nanotechnology. He has filed for patents to protect his inventions. Some have been awarded while others are still pending. Below is a list of patents of Deji Akinwade that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO):
- Integration of air-sensitive two-dimensional materials on arbitrary substrates for the manufacturing of electronic devices
Patent No.: 10242884
Year the Patent was Granted: 2019
- Integration of monolayer graphene with a semiconductor device
Patent No.: 10175187
Year the Patent was Granted: 2019
- Enhanced sensitivity of graphene gas sensors using molecular doping
Patent No.: 9869651
Year the Patent was Granted: 2018
- Electrical interconnection for high-frequency devices
Patent No.: 7408119
Year the Patent was Granted: 2008
Note that some of these inventions had other contributors aside from Deji Akinwade.
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Adebayo Alonge
Adebayo Alonge is widely known for inventing the RxScanner, a handheld device for patients to verify their drugs. This invention earned him and his team at the US-based deep tech start-up firm, RxAll Inc. the 2019 BNP Paribas Group Tech Award, which made him the first African to ever win the Hello Tomorrow Global Deep Tech Challenge.
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Jessica O. Idoni-Matthews
Jessica O. Idoni-Matthews is a Nigerian-American inventor who is known for the invention of SOCKETT, which she and her coursemates at Havard developed as an assignment. SOCKETT is a football that harnesses and stores energy from play for later use as a portable power source. She has several other investments but the SOCKETT is what has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). ThBelow are the details for her invention that has received patent rights by USPTO:
- Energy storing device and method of using the same(SOCKETT)
Patent No.: 9517388
Year the Patent was Granted: 2016
The mass production of SOCKETT was discontinued in 2016.
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Kunle Olukotun
Kunle Olukotun is a British-born Nigerian inventor who holds 12 patents for his inventions. Some of those inventions have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office while some are still pending. Below is a list of his inventions that patents have already been granted:
- Multi-core multi-thread processor crossbar architecture
Patent No.: 8463996
Year the Patent was Granted: 2013
- Multi-core multi-thread processor
Patent No.: 7209996
Year the Patent was Granted: 2007
- DRAM power management
Patent No.: 6938119
- Year the Patent was Granted: 2005
- Request arbitration in multi-core processor
Patent No.: 7133950
Year the Patent was Granted: 2006
- Multi-core multi-thread processor
Patent No.: 7873785
Year the Patent was Granted: 2011
Two of the above inventions had other people contribute to them aside from Kunle Olukotun.
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Olagoke Olabisi
Olagoke Olabisi is a 79-Year-old Nigerian American inventor that has earned several patents for his inventions. Below are the patents of Olagoke Olabisi:
- Catalyst and process for ethylene oligomerization
US Patent No.: 6,184,428
Year the Patent was Granted: 2001
- Structural Foam Products & Processes
Canada Patent No.: 1098273
Year the Patent was Granted: 1982
- Structural foam molding process
US Patent No.: 4255368:
Year the Patent was Granted: 1981
- Process for molding of plastic structural web articles
US Patent No.: 4247515
Year the Patent was Granted: 1981
- Structural Web Products & Processes
Canada Patent No.: 1098273
Year the Patent was Granted: 1981
- Molded plastic structural web articles
US Patent No.: 4244642
Year the Patent was Granted: 1980
- Process for the molding of plastic structural web and the resulting articles
US Patent No. 4136220
Year the Patent was Granted: 1979
- Structural Web Products & Processes
Belgium Patent No. 855664
Year the Patent was Granted: 1978
- Structural Web Products & Processes
Spain Patent No.: 459748
Year the Patent was Granted: 1978
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John Oluseun Dabiri
John Dabiri is a Nigerian-American who is credited with several inventions. He has filed for patents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to protect his inventions. Some have been granted while others are still pending. Here is a list of granted patents of John Dabiri’s inventions (some of the inventions had other contributors aside from himself):
- Self-contained underwater velocimetry apparatus
Patent No.: 7864305
Year the Patent was Granted: 2011
- V-shaped arrangements of turbines
Patent No.: 9175669
Year the Patent was Granted: 2015
- Tissue-engineered pumps and valves and uses thereof
Patent No.: 9669141
Year the Patent was Granted: 2017
- Devices and methods for harvesting power from arrays of wind turbines
Patent No.: 9214811
Year the Patent was Granted: 2015
- Methods and systems for comparing vertical axis turbine arrays and providing configurations thereof
Patent No.: 8949097
Year the Patent was Granted: 2015
- Methods and systems for comparing vertical axis turbine arrays and providing configurations thereof
Patent No.: 9399981
Year the Patent was Granted: 2016
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Ndubuisi John Ekekwe
Ndubuisi Ekekwe is a Nigerian inventor that holds two patents for his inventions, of which one has already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) while the other is still pending. Below are his inventions and their status:
- Adaptive and reconfigurable system for Dc motor control
Publication number: 20080247735
Status: Pending
Filed: April 3, 2008
Publication date: October 9, 2008
Inventors: Peter Kazanzides, Ndubuisi John Ekekwe, Ralph Etienne-Cummings
- Adaptive and reconfigurable system for DC motor control
Patent No.: 7835630
Status: Patent granted
Year the Patent was Granted: 2010
Inventors: Peter Kazanzides, Ndubuisi John Ekekwe, Ralph Etienne-Cummings
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Soni Olufemi Olubunmi Oyekan
Soni O. Olubunmi is a Nigerian-American inventor who holds 5 US patents and at least 9 global patents for his numerous inventions. Below is a list of United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patents that have already been granted to inventor Soni O. Oyekan for his inventions:
- Low coke reforming
Patent No.: 9371493
Year the Patent was Granted: 2016
- Mixed additives low coke reforming
Patent No.: 9371494
Year the Patent was Granted: 2016
- Feed additives for CCR reforming
Patent No.: 8778823
Year the Patent was Granted: 2014
- Activation of platinum containing reforming catalysts
Patent No.: 4539307
Year the Patent was Granted: 1985
- Catalytic reforming process
Patent No.: 4436612
Year the Patent was Granted: 1984
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Jelani Aliyu
Jelani Aliyu is a Nigerian inventor credited with several inventions, particularly in the automobile industry. Below is a list of patents that he filed for with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that has been granted:
- Vehicle body
Patent No.: D611879
Year the Patent was Granted: 2010
- Vehicle fender extension
Patent No.: D840302
Year the Patent was Granted: 2019
- Vehicle front bumper
Patent No.: D860078
Year the Patent was Granted: 2019
- Vehicle grille
Patent No.: D863135
Year the Patent was Granted: 2019
- Vehicle hood assembly
Patent No.: D863154
Year the Patent was Granted: 2019
- Vehicle front bumper
Patent number: D889331
Year the Patent was Granted: 2020
We should point out that Jelani A. Aliyu worked as a member of a team in the above-mentioned inventions. Therefore, he isn’t the only person credited with the inventions stated above.
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Omowunmi A. Sadiq
Omowunmi A. Sadiq holds U.S. patents in biosensors and sustainable nanotechnology. Below is a list of her patented inventions that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO):
- Packaging material and methods of using the same
Patent No.: 11091597
Year the Patent was Granted: 2021
- Ultra-sensitive, portable capillary sensor
Patent No.: 8414844
- Year the Patent was Granted: 2013
- Ultra-sensitive, portable capillary sensor
Patent No.: 7708944
Year the Patent was Granted: 2010
- Synthesis, characterization, and application of pyridylazo bioconjugates as diagnostic and therapeutic agents
Patent No.: 6602989
Year the Patent was Granted: 2003
- Method and apparatus for pulsed electrochemical detection using polymer electroactive electrodes
Patent No.: 5403451
Year the Patent was Granted: 1995
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Ilesanmi Adesida
Ilesanmi Adesida is credited with several inventions. Below are the USPTO-patented inventions of Ilesanmi Adesida:
- Method to metallize ohmic electrodes to P-type group III nitrides
Patent No.: 6586328
- Year the Patent was Granted: 2003
- Low dark current photodetector
Patent No.: 5880482
Year the Patent was Granted: 1999
- Metal-assisted chemical etch to produce porous group III-V materials
Patent No.: 6762134
Year the Patent was Granted: 2004
In all of these inventions of Ilesanmi Adesida, other people contributed.
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Ayodele Oluwatumininu Awojobi
We should point out that some of these inventions, especially those that have already been patented, not only the names mentioned in this article were solely responsible. Most times, inventors work in groups or as a team, therefore, the credits would go to all of them. We just stated the Nigerians that were part of such teams. That being said, not all Nigerian inventors are mentioned here.