Access to affordable, renewable and clean energy has not only been captured as the seventh (7th) objective of the Sustainable Development Goals, but has been linked to all elements of sustainable development.

The existing power system in Nigeria is characterized by its inability to provide reliable and constant access to Clean Energy. Thus, a major barrier to: poverty eradication, Industry innovation, sustainable communities and quality education. The project, Artificial Intelligence for Clean Energy (AI4CE) development will also develop innovative approaches to clean energy generation using AI and at the same time rely on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for integrating the clean energy to the existing grid system by turning academic ideas into businesses through AcadoPreneurship.

Thus, Address the problem of weak University-Industry linkage, which has muffled innovation and commercialisation of research results from universities through the proposed AcadoPreneurship model.

In addition, the project will serve as a regional vehicle to drive and sustain products development, knowledge and technology exchange between knowledge institutions and the industry as primary partners in Nigeria.

Professor Salami was appointed the Pioneer Vice chancellor of Nigeria’s premier Technical University, First Technical University, Ibadan in May 2017. He became a Professor of Environmental Science, at the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife in 2003. He was the Pioneer Head of Environmental Science, University of the Gambia, The Gambia (2000-2001); the Director, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, OAU (2006-2010); Senior Research Advisor, Health, Safety and Environment, Corporate Environment Department, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Port Harcourt (2010-2011); and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), OAU (2011-2016)

He was the Project Manager, the World Bank sponsored Centre of Excellence (CoEx) in Software Engineering: Science & Technology Education at Post-Basic Levels (STEPB) Project OAU, from 2011-2013 and the Centre Leader, World Bank sponsored African Centre of Excellence on ICT-Driven Knowledge Park from 2014 to 2016.

Professor Sola Ajayi is an experienced agricultural scientist and higher education manager with several years teaching, research, and University management experience.As an expert and acknowledged research leader, he has vast research and industry experience on seed systems, agricultural innovations and enterprise development, research management, agricultural policy dialogue and mentorship of early career researchers (ECRs). His research focus has been on improving crop productivity through seed technologies, genetic resources conservation and enhancement, and the impact of climate change on food security. He is well networked with experts in the agricultural research-for-development fraternity.

Prof Ajayi has held several management positions in the University system, mostly at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Until he was appointed as the Director of Academic Planning and Partnerships at the Technical University, he was the Chairman, Faculty of Agriculture Postgraduate Committee /Member, Board of Postgraduate College, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) (Jan-Jun, 2017) among other positions held while at OAU.

Prof O. A. Koya is a professor of mechanical engineering and the Dean of the Faculty Engineering and Technology, of the First Technical University, Ibadan, Nigeria. His area of specialisation is in the Applied Mechanics and Machine Design, and his researches spread over four major themes: bio-materials processing, renewable energy, machine development, and mechanical maintenance.

His research teams were recipients of national awards on the Development of Automotive Parts and Components, Mathematical Modelling of Processing Equipment, and Process Equipment Design. His research publications also earned notable international recognitions. An innovation toward commercial production of Palm-Kernel-Shell Brake Pad received national patent in 2016; while an Intermittent Solar Dryer for Cocoa Beans is being scaled-up with some modifications for commercial applications.

Prof Bamidele Adebisi is a Professor in Intelligent Infrastructure Systems, and Director of Smart Infrastructure and Industry Research Group at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. He received Master’s degree in Advanced Mobile Communication Engineering and Ph.D. in Communication Systems both from Lancaster University, UK. Before that, he obtained B.Eng. Electrical Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

He is the Vice-Chair IEEE TC-PLC, a Panel Member, of the UK EPSRC Peer-Review College, and EU H2020 Expert Reviewer. His main research is in embedding sensing, communication, control, and data analytic technologies in critical infrastructure, i.e. water, energy, buildings etc., He has published over 160 peer-review papers and given several talks/panel discussions in the research areas of internet of things, smart cities, smart grids, cybersecurity and cyber physical systems.

Dr Oyetunde Adeoye ADEAGA is a senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Ag. Head of Department of Electrical & Electronic and Biomedical Engineering, First Technical University Ibadan. He is an expert and consultant in computational Thermal Fluids and Renewable/Clean Energy of the Future with exposure to engineering design and construction. With twenty years of experience in teaching and research sector, he has supervised and co-supervised many of students’ project. He has authored and co-authored many research articles.

He attended Government College Ibadan for secondary education. He obtained B.Eng. (Hons.) (Mechanical Engineering) Second Class Upper (1998) from Federal University of Technology Akure, M.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering) and Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering) from University of Ibadan in 2005 and 2015 respectively.

Mr. Austin Kwesi Okere is the Founder of CWG Plc and the Ausso Leadership Academy. He has an MBA from IESE Business School, and over 25 years entrepreneurial experience. Currently an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Columbia Business School, New York, he has also been appointed to the Advisory Board of the Global Business School Network in Washington DC in recognition of his contribution to the development of business education and knowledge transfer in Africa. Austin has taught at the United States International University (USIU) in Kenya and has served as a Consultant to the Sustainable Development Goals, African Center (SDGAC) in Rwanda. Austin has recently been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Global Business Practices Council under the auspices of the AACSB in Amsterdam.

Austin was recognized with a Lifetime Entrepreneurship Achievement Award by the American University of Nigeria in 2017 for his outstanding entrepreneurial accomplishments.

Abiodun Musa AIBINU (Ph.D.), is an “AcadoPreneur” and a highly-motivated career driven achiever with over Twenty-Two (22) years working experience. in the field of: Mechatronics Engineering, Autotronics, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Teaching and Research.Presently AcadoPreneur Aibinu is a: Professor of Mechatronics Engineering, Head of Department, Department of Mechatronics Engineering; Director, Centre of Open Distance and e-Learning, Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Nigeria.

Furthermore, he is an advocate of Spiritual Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence and AcadoPreneurship. AcadoPreneurship simply means turning academic ideas into businesses and start-ups. Efforts are ongoing in turning some of his research outputs and that of other colleagues into start-up businesses.