Adamawa celebrates indigenous Innovator over SMEDAN’s Award of excellence

Adamawa celebrates indigenous Innovator over SMEDAN’s Award of Excellence.

By Umar Dankano,Yola.

A renowned Adamawa-based innovator and entrepreneur, Malam Mohammad Dalhatu, has been celebrated for making the state proud through his God given talent despite being a physically challenged person.

Following national recognition for outsta nding innovative performance of mallam Dalhatu which attracted SMEDAN’s Award of excellence during the 2026 Micro medium entreprises(MSMEs)Day celebration held in Abuja last week.

Dalhatu earned national recognition for his exceptional ingenuity and practical innovations. His inventions include rechargeable fans, cooking stoves powered by used engine oil, and electric bucket water heaters, among other locally developed technologies aimed at addressing everyday challenges.

His remarkable contributions have showcased the vast potential of local innovation in providing practical solutions and have earned him the distinction of being the only recipient from Nigeria’s North-East geopolitical zone to receive the prestigious SMEDAN Award of Excellence.

He assured the award recipient of the Adamawa State Government’s commitment, through the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Development, to support him and other talented innovators by creating opportunities that will help nurture their ideas into sustainable enterprises.

Receiving the award recipient on behalf of the state government, Commissioner of Entrepreneurship Development Hon. Hammanjumba Gatugel congratulated Dalhatu on the national honour,describin g the recognition as “a source of pride not only for the recipient but also for Adamawa State”.

Gatugel commended Malam Dalhatu’s resilience, determination, and creativity, noting that his achievements serve as an inspiration to young people, particularly persons living with disabilities.

Gatugel added that encouraging innovati on and entrepreneurship remains a key priority of the state government, as such initiatives have the potential to improve livelihoods, create employment opportunities, and stimulate economic growth.

Dalhatu received the prestigious award during the 2026 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Day celebration, organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in Abuja on June 27, 2026.

The presentation was witnessed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Yusuf Peter Adilbakriya, members of the ministry’s management and staff, as well as members of Malam Dalhatu’s family.