Student teams from Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUT), Yola; the University of Ibadan (UI); the University of Jos (UNIJOS); and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) have emerged winners of the maiden Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), securing a combined ₦110 million in seed funding to commercialise innovative engineering solutions addressing critical national challenges.
The winners were announced at the grand finale of the competition held in Lagos, where outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students were recognised for developing practical, scalable and commercially viable innovations in security, healthcare, agriculture and energy.
MAUT clinched the overall prize with a ₦50 million grant for its innovation, Ubuntu Sapphire, a decentralised, community-powered rapid alert and security intelligence network designed to improve security in rural and peri-urban communities with limited internet connectivity and weak security infrastructure.
The University of Ibadan finished second, receiving ₦30 million for Aurora Birth, a HealthTech solution aimed at reducing neonatal deaths caused by birth asphyxia, particularly in resource-constrained healthcare facilities.
The University of Jos claimed third place with Sentra, a solar-powered, artificial intelligence-enabled crop diagnostic device that identifies pests, diseases and soil nutrient deficiencies before visible symptoms appear, enabling farmers to take early preventive action.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, secured fourth position and a ₦10 million grant for Flameless, a modular power-generation platform that converts associated gas into electricity to provide reliable and affordable energy for homes, businesses and communities.
Beyond the cash prizes, the winning teams will receive technical mentorship, business development support, industry partnerships and commercialisation opportunities to help transform their innovations into market-ready products.
The competition also rewarded the engineering faculties of the winning institutions. MAUT received a Centre of Excellence building, while the University of Ibadan and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka were awarded grants of ₦75 million and ₦50 million respectively to strengthen engineering education, research and innovation.
The inaugural Olympiad attracted 984 student participants from 80 tertiary institutions across Nigeria, producing 375 eligible team applications.
Following a rigorous selection process, 30 teams advanced to the regional stage of the competition, which commenced in November 2025. Projects were evaluated based on technical excellence, innovation, scalability, commercial viability, societal impact and sustainability.
Each of the 30 shortlisted teams received ₦3 million in prototype development funding before competing across the six geopolitical zones—Yenagoa, Enugu, Ibadan, Abuja, Yola and Kano.
Twelve teams eventually qualified for the national innovation bootcamp in Lagos, where participants received mentorship from engineering experts, entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders before progressing through knockout rounds that produced the four national winners.
Speaking at the event, the immediate past President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Margaret Oguntola, described the Olympiad as a strategic initiative to position young engineers at the forefront of Nigeria's technological advancement and sustainable development.
She said the competition was designed to bridge the gap between the abundance of engineering talent in Nigerian tertiary institutions and the country's industrialisation ambitions.
Also speaking, Olutosin Ogunmola, who represented the NSE on the Olympiad Steering Committee, said engineering remains central to national development, adding that the competition was created to promote healthy competition, celebrate innovation and inspire excellence among engineering students.
Country Director of Enactus Nigeria, Michael Ajayi, whose organisation served as the Olympiad's implementing partner, stressed the importance of investing in youth-led innovation to solve real-world challenges, build sustainable enterprises and create employment opportunities.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix Ogbe, represented by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Silas Ajimijaye, reaffirmed the Board's commitment to identifying and nurturing engineering talent capable of driving Nigeria's industrial transformation.
Representatives of funding partners, including Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P), also pledged continued support for the initiative.
Renaissance Africa Energy announced that prototype development grants for participating teams would increase from ₦3 million to ₦5 million in the next edition, while FIRST E&P described the Olympiad as a valuable platform for strengthening STEM education, promoting innovation and reducing the growing challenge of brain drain.
The maiden Nigerian Engineering Olympiad showcased student innovations across healthcare, renewable energy, agriculture, security, manufacturing and industrial technology, underscoring the growing capacity of young Nigerian engineers to develop homegrown solutions to national and global challenges.
Download our Mobile App for easy access
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edutvmobile.ng&hl=en
Mobile App Lite
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edutvng.lite
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edutvmobile.ng&hl=en
Follow us on Youtube
https://youtube.com/@edutvnigeria
Follow us on LinkedIn -
https://ng.linkedin.com/company/edutvnigeria
Follow us on Instagram
https://instagram.com/edutvnigeria
Follow us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/edutvnigeria
