Nigerian scientist wins 2026 Schlumberger Faculty for the Future Impact Prize
Nigerian scientist and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Uyo, Edu Inam, has won the 2026 Faculty for the Future Impact Prize of the Schlumberger Foundation.
Inam was among nine women scientists and engineers selected from 156 applications spanning 61 countries for the inaugural edition of the prize.
She was recognised for her initiative, “Scaling a Research Equipment Database for Equitable Access in Nigeria,” which seeks to make scientific equipment and research infrastructure more accessible to researchers across the country.
Inam, a former Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Uyo, also serves as Director of the university’s International Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Research.
Speaking to journalists in Uyo on Tuesday, she said her background in analytical chemistry had exposed her to a persistent challenge within Nigeria’s research environment: the difficulty researchers face in locating and accessing functional laboratory equipment.
According to her, equipment may exist in universities and research institutions without researchers knowing where it is located, whether it is functional, who manages it or the procedure for gaining access.
She said the challenge was particularly difficult for students who require specialised equipment to complete research projects.
Inam subsequently developed LabEquipment.ng, a searchable platform designed to provide information on research equipment available in Nigerian institutions, including their locations and contact details for accessing them.
She said the platform, which was publicly launched in 2021, had, by the end of 2025, connected 22 institutions and listed more than 200 pieces of equipment. It had also recorded over 3,000 searches and interactions and attracted more than 550 users.
Inam said the latest recognition would support efforts to expand and improve the platform, including making it more accessible on mobile devices, onboarding additional institutions and creating clearer processes for requesting equipment and laboratory services.
She said the objective went beyond simply expanding the database, but was to build a more connected research ecosystem in which students and researchers could find and use existing facilities rather than abandon experiments because of inaccessible or unavailable equipment.
The Schlumberger Foundation’s Faculty for the Future programme supports women from developing and emerging economies pursuing advanced studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
