The University of Port Harcourt and the University of Benin have emerged winners of the South-South regional stage of the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), securing qualification for the competition’s national boot camp.
Representing the University of Port Harcourt was Team PROTRONICS, while the University of Benin was represented by Team VHORDE. The two institutions clinched the top spots during the regional contest held on Monday at the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad is a nationwide engineering, innovation, and entrepreneurship competition launched in 2025 by Enactus Nigeria in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company, and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE)
The two winning teams outperformed competitors from Igbinedion University, Okada; the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Effurun; and the University of Uyo.
Participants at the competition showcased hardware and software prototypes designed to tackle real-world challenges in Nigeria and across Africa.
Team PROTRONICS presented a solution known as KEYTRIC, described as a smart power control system designed to automate electricity usage through an intelligent locking mechanism.
According to the team, the innovation addresses common problems such as high electricity bills, electrical fire risks, and the high cost of existing smart-home technologies.
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The students explained that KEYTRIC functions as a smart energy door lock that automatically switches off electricity supply once a user locks up and leaves the house.
They added that the technology helps users reduce electricity costs, minimise fire hazards, and provides an affordable alternative to expensive smart-home systems that often require internet connectivity and costly wiring modifications.
On its part, Team VHORDE from the University of Benin unveiled IRIS — Intelligent Real-time Interface for Sight — a wearable assistive technology developed for visually impaired persons.
The team noted that about 4.5 million Nigerians are visually impaired and often face challenges navigating daily life independently.
The IRIS system comprises smart glasses equipped with cameras, depth sensors, microphones, haptic feedback devices, and edge Artificial Intelligence processors capable of real-time object detection, facial recognition, and voice interaction.
The students explained that the AI-powered wearable device allows users to better understand and interact with their environment without relying heavily on internet connectivity.
They disclosed that the IRIS Standard package is projected to cost N699,000 at production scale and includes features such as obstacle detection, familiar face recognition, natural voice interaction, and wireless software updates.
Speaking during the assessment session, one of the judges, Engr. Dokubo Obongo, Manager, Institutional Strengthening at the NCDMB, commended the quality of the innovations presented by the students.
He described the projects as “top-notch,” noting that the prototypes offered viable and marketable solutions to societal challenges.
Obongo explained that the Engineering Olympiad was designed to encourage research-driven, home-grown solutions from Nigerian universities while creating business and innovation opportunities for young engineers.
“The idea is to see how we can proffer solutions to our own problems,” he said.
Also speaking, Country Director of Enactus Nigeria, Mr. Michael Ajayi, disclosed that the top two finalists from each of the six geopolitical zones would proceed to a boot camp ahead of the national championship.
