Two student engineering teams from the University of Port Harcourt and the University of Benin have secured places in the national boot camp stage of the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad after emerging top contenders in the South-South regional contest held at the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa.

What stood out at the competition was not just the technology on display, but how closely the ideas were tied to problems many Nigerians deal with daily, from rising electricity costs and fire risks in homes to the realities faced by visually impaired persons.

Representing the University of Port Harcourt, Team PROTRONICS won attention with KEYTRIC, a smart energy control system designed to automatically shut down electricity supply once a user locks their door to leave home. The team explained that the solution was developed in response to common concerns around high electricity bills, electrical fire outbreaks, and the high cost of existing smart home systems.

Unlike many imported automation systems that depend heavily on internet connectivity and expensive installations, the students said KEYTRIC was designed to be simpler, more affordable, and practical for local use.

The University of Benin’s Team VHORDE presented IRIS, an assistive technology solution built for visually impaired persons. Combining smart glasses, wearable sensors, voice interaction, and artificial intelligence, the system is designed to help users identify objects, detect obstacles, recognise familiar faces, and navigate their environment in real time.

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The team noted that the project was inspired by the estimated millions of visually impaired Nigerians who face limitations in mobility and daily interaction. Their prototype demonstrated how locally driven innovation could improve accessibility using emerging technologies tailored to Nigerian realities.

The regional competition featured teams from the University of Port Harcourt, University of Benin, Igbinedion University, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, and the University of Uyo, all presenting hardware and software solutions aimed at addressing real-world problems.

The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad was launched in 2025 by Enactus Nigeria in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company, and the Nigerian Society of Engineers. The initiative focuses on engineering, innovation, and entrepreneurship, with an emphasis on developing commercially viable solutions from Nigerian universities.

Assessing the projects, Manager, Institutional Strengthening at NCDMB, Engr. Dokubo Obongo described the presentations as “top-notch,” adding that the ideas demonstrated both market relevance and practical value.

According to him, “There are solutions that are viable – marketwise – relevant to our society and the challenges we face.”

He further explained that the Olympiad was created to encourage research-driven innovation capable of generating home-grown answers to local problems while also opening new business opportunities.

Speaking on the next phase of the competition, Country Director of Enactus Nigeria, Mr Michael Ajayi, disclosed that the top two teams from each geopolitical zone would proceed to a boot camp ahead of the national championship. He added that the top three teams at the national level would share a prize pool of N100 million, while each of the 30 participating teams in the regional stage would receive N3 million in support funding.

Team PROTRONICS was led by faculty adviser Dr Victor Jinn and comprised Chukwuma Sunday-Odu, Fubara David Otokini, and Ekemini Godwin Akpan. Team VHORDE included Anoint Oritsetimeyin Igorki, Oghosa Derick Osarobo, Uti Henry Eworitsewarami, Jada O. Godfrey-Ariavie, Richard O. Enegbuna, Momodu O. Olayemi, and Asemota G. Ayevbosa.

Meiza Nigeria