By Ambrose Nnaji
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in collaboration with Renaissance Africa Energy and First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (First E&P), has launched the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO)—a nationwide innovation competition designed to inspire engineering students to develop solutions to real-world challenges.
The programme, led by Enactus Nigeria with support from the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), aims to nurture a new generation of industry-ready engineering talent and reposition Nigeria for technology-driven growth.
Introducing the concept, Enactus Nigeria Country Director, Michael Ajayi, said the Olympiad will empower final-year and postgraduate engineering students to “envision and build a self-reliant Nigeria driven by knowledge, innovation, and collaboration.” He described NEO as a bridge between academic creativity and industry needs—turning ideas into impact and knowledge into enterprise.
NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the Olympiad’s theme, “Inspiring Engineering Solutions,” aligns directly with President Bola Tinubu’s Nigeria First agenda. Despite Nigeria’s large population and talent pool, he noted that only a small fraction of engineering graduates are industry-ready, a gap that fuels brain drain and over-dependence on foreign expertise.
Represented by Director of Capacity Building, Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, Ogbe emphasized that NEO complements NCDMB’s existing training initiatives, which have already equipped young Nigerians with skills in petroleum engineering, robotics, digital technology, and advanced technical fields. The goal, he said, is to establish an enduring annual platform that identifies and supports exceptional talent through mentorship and commercialisation pathways.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande — represented by Ebiho Agun — described Nigerian youth as “the heartbeat of Nigeria’s future,” stressing that the Olympiad presents an ideal stage for discovery, learning, and professional advancement.
First E&P’s General Manager for Integrated Gas, Engr. Yetunde Taiwo, said the company’s involvement reflects its longstanding commitment to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship. She warned that many young engineers leave Nigeria because they lack opportunities to apply their expertise locally—an exodus the Olympiad seeks to reverse by opening viable career and research channels within the domestic energy and technology industries.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, hailed the initiative as a landmark investment in national engineering capability, while NSE President, Engr. Margaret Aina Ogunsola, described the programme as a “watershed moment” in bridging academia and industry. She said NSE will ensure that winning innovations meet global standards, acquire intellectual property protection, and undergo structured prototype development.
Applications opened on 20 November and will close in January 2026. The process will feature multiple competitive levels: Level 1 – Intra-school selection: One winner emerges from each participating institution. Level 2 – Regional showcases: Five schools qualify per region, producing 30 teams nationally, which receive mentorship and prototype development support.
Level 3 – Semi-finals: Twelve teams advance to a technical and business-model boot camp. Level 4 – National Grand Finale (April 2026): Four winners will be announced as top national engineering innovations.
