The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company Limited (First E&P), has launched the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad, an engineering competition aimed at inspiring engineering students to develop innovative projects that will solve societal problems.
A statement by the Corporate Communication Division of the NCDMB on Monday said the project is championed by Enactus Nigeria and has the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) as a key partner.
Explaining the concept, Country Director of Enactus Nigeria, Michael Ajayi, stated that the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad will inspire final-year and postgraduate engineering students to envision and build a self-reliant Nigeria driven by knowledge, innovation, and collaboration.
“The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad embodies our belief that innovation must be nurtured where it begins, in the minds of young engineers by connecting academic creativity with industry realities,” he stated.
“The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad provides the bridge that transforms knowledge into impact, and ideas into enterprise.”
NCDMB Executive Secretary, Felix Ogbe, said the programme’s theme: “Inspiring engineering solutions,” aligns perfectly with President Bola Tinubu’s Nigeria first policy.
Read Also:
- Senate turns up heat on NCDMB as $14.8 Million scandal triggers fresh probe
- 16-year-old undergraduate wins NCDMB annual national essay competition
- NCDMB top guns end retreat on enhancing corporate governance, performance
Ogbe highlighted that, despite Nigeria’s large population offering immense potential, the engineering sector continues to grapple with a critical skills gap.
He noted that a negligible percentage of engineering graduates are considered industry-ready upon graduation.
The NCDMB boss warned that this deficit has far-reaching implications, including a shortage of competent local engineers, over-reliance on expatriates, and an accelerating brain drain.
Represented by the Director of Capacity Building, Abayomi Bamidele, Ogbe explained that the Olympiad complements the agency’s human capacity development initiatives, which have trained young Nigerians in petroleum engineering, digital technology, robotics, and other advanced fields.
“Our goal is to institutionalize an annual national platform that identifies, nurtures, and supports exceptional engineering talent while connecting participants to industry mentorship and commercialization pathways,” he stated.
Ogbe added that the board is equally committed to strengthening entrepreneurial and leadership skills to enable young engineers to thrive in the workforce or launch technology-driven enterprises.
Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, who was represented by Ms. Ebiho Agun, described the creativity and ingenuity of Nigerian youth as one of the country’s greatest assets in a world increasingly driven by science, innovation, and problem-solving.
She noted that the Olympiad provides a vital platform for young Nigerians to expand their imagination, deepen technical expertise, and showcase excellence both locally and internationally.
Addressing the students as “the heartbeat of Nigeria’s future,” she urged participants to view the competition as an opportunity for learning, discovery, and career advancement, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to expanding programmes that foster youth creativity, skills development, and mentorship.
General Manager, Integrated Gas at First E&P, Yetunde Taiwo, said the company’s participation reflects its core values of nurturing talent, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
While First E&P has long supported education at the secondary-school level, she explained, the Olympiad offers a unique opportunity to engage university-level engineering students and expose them to real-world industry challenges.
Expressing concern over the growing brain drain, Taiwo noted that many graduates emigrate due to limited opportunities to apply their skills locally.
She emphasized that initiatives like the Olympiad, supported by strong government-industry collaboration, can create sustainable career pathways, help retain talent, and reassure young engineers that viable opportunities exist within Nigeria’s energy sector.
Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Halilu, represented by Amino Hamisu, hailed the Olympiad as a landmark step towards strengthening engineering excellence and advancing national technological development.
President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Margaret Ogunsola, described the Olympiad as a “watershed moment” in bridging the gap between academia and industry.
She called it a national innovation incubator designed to transform final-year engineering projects into commercially viable products through structured mentorship, prototype development, and intellectual property support.
Ogunsola confirmed that NSE will provide expert guidance to ensure students’ innovations meet global standards.
