Four varsities win N235m at maiden engineering Olympiad

Four Nigerian universities have emerged winners at the maiden Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), securing a combined N235 million in grants and institutional support to commercialise innovative engineering solutions and strengthen research capacity.

At the grand finale held in Lagos, Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUT), Yola, emerged overall winner, receiving N50 million in seed funding for its innovation, “Ubuntu Sapphire,” alongside a Centre of Excellence Building for its Faculty of Engineering.

The University of Ibadan (UI) placed second and received N30 million for its “Aurora Birth” innovation, a HealthTech solution designed to reduce neonatal deaths caused by birth asphyxia, particularly in low-resource settings. In addition, the university’s Faculty of Engineering was awarded a n75 million grant to support engineering education and research.

The University of Jos claimed third place with “Sentra,” a solar-powered, artificial intelligence-enabled crop diagnostic device that detects pests, diseases and soil nutrient deficiencies before visible symptoms appear. The team received N20 million in seed funding.

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), finished fourth with “Flameless,” a modular power-generation platform that converts associated gas into electricity for households, businesses and communities. The team received ₦10 million, while the university’s Faculty of Engineering secured a ₦50 million research grant.

Beyond the cash prizes, all winning teams will receive technical mentorship, business development support, industry partnerships and commercialisation opportunities to help transform their innovations into market-ready products.

MAUT’s winning project, Ubuntu Sapphire, is a decentralised, community-powered rapid alert and security intelligence network designed for rural and peri-urban communities with limited internet connectivity and weak security infrastructure.

The winners emerged from a nationwide competition that attracted 984 student participants from 80 tertiary institutions, with 375 teams qualifying for assessment. Thirty teams progressed to the regional stage before 12 finalists advanced to the national innovation bootcamp in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the immediate past President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Margaret Oguntola, described the Olympiad as a major step towards positioning young engineers as drivers of national development.

She said the initiative was conceived to bridge the gap between the abundance of engineering talent in Nigerian universities and the country’s industrialisation ambitions.

Also speaking, Engr. Olutosin Ogunmola, who represented the NSE on the Olympiad Steering Committee, said engineering remains the foundation of national development and urged greater recognition of young innovators.

Country Director of Enactus Nigeria, Michael Ajayi, said investing in youth-driven innovation is critical to Nigeria’s economic future, adding that the Olympiad aligns with the organisation’s commitment to entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

Representing the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Executive Secretary Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to supporting engineering talent and challenged stakeholders to ensure the winning innovations progress beyond the competition into commercial production.

Funding partner Renaissance Africa Energy Company also pledged to increase prototype development grants for participating teams from ₦3 million to ₦5 million in the next edition, while First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company (First E&P) described the Olympiad as an important platform for strengthening STEM education and reducing brain drain.

Organisers said the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad is designed to bridge Nigeria’s engineering skills gap through seed funding, mentorship, technical guidance and industry partnerships. Over the next three years, the initiative is expected to produce more than 150 engineering prototypes and numerous technology start-ups capable of advancing Nigeria’s industrial transformation.

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