Modibbo Adama University, Yola, has emerged winner of the 2026 Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), securing N50 million.
The university also won the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Education Centre of Excellence Building.
The grand finale of the competition was held in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Tuesday.
The University of Ibadan came second, winning N30 million and engineering equipment worth N75 million.
The University of Jos placed third, while the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, finished fourth.
The four universities emerged from 12 innovation teams shortlisted for the final stage.
The Olympiad, an initiative of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), promotes innovation and industry collaboration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it also encourages engineering solutions to national development challenges.
The competition received support from NCDMB, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd, FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Ltd and Enactus Nigeria.
The finalists presented their innovations before judges who assessed the projects before announcing the winners.
Speaking at the event, NSE President, Mr Ali Rabiu, urged industry leaders to support young innovators.
Rabiu, represented by former NSE President, Mrs Margaret Oguntala, called for funding, incubation and patent support.
He said the Olympiad was created to identify engineering talent and turn ideas into practical solutions.
“The future belongs to those who dare to create it,” he told the finalists.
Rabiu described the initiative as an investment in youth development, engineering entrepreneurship and national growth.
He said Nigerian youths had ideas but needed opportunities, mentorship and sustained support.
He commended partners supporting the initiative and reaffirmed NSE’s commitment to sustaining the platform.
Mr Tosin Ogunmola, an NSE representative on the Olympiad Steering Committee, said engineering remained vital.
He said the programme was designed to bridge gaps between academia and industry.
Ogunmola noted that many student projects ended as academic exercises without commercial backing.
“This initiative ensures brilliant ideas developed by students do not remain on shelves,” he said.
He added that entries would be uploaded to the NEO platform for possible commercial partnerships.
Ogunmola said the projects covered security, healthcare, agriculture and power solutions.
He stressed the need for stronger government and private sector collaboration.
Mrs Alexis Emele, NCDMB’s General Manager, Human Capital Development, pledged continued support. She said promising innovations would be assessed for possible commercialisation.
Shee added that the board was engaging stakeholders to ensure sustained funding.
Mr Igo Weli, Renaissance Africa’s Vice-President, described the projects as evidence of Nigerian creativity.
He said the company was ready to partner with innovators to improve industrial operations.
Weli added that such partnerships could create jobs and support economic growth.
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Chief Executive Officer, Mr Khalil Halilu, urged innovators to commercialise research.
Halilu, represented by Dr Emmanuel Ajani, said winners would join the agency’s Innovation Hub.
He said they would receive business support, manufacturing partnerships and commercialisation opportunities.
