Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix Ogbe, has said the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO) is set to bridge the long-standing divide between theoretical engineering education and industrial application.

He also announced a 10-month national competition to transform academic research into a commercial, sustainable enterprise.

Of the 375 submissions, 30 innovation teams have advanced to the regional phase of the national competition. Five projects were chosen from each of the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Each of the 30 shortlisted teams will receive a N3 million grant for prototype development and technical mentorship, representing an immediate N90 million investment in local innovation.

The competition now moves into a rigorous regional phase where teams from 30 higher institutions, including federal, state, and private universities, as well as polytechnics, will vie for 12 slots at a national bootcamp in Lagos.

Following the regional stage, the 12 qualifying teams will undergo intensive mentorship in business development and industry best practices. The teams will then be reorganised into groups for semi-final knockout rounds, eventually producing four finalist teams to compete for a share of N100 million in seed funding at the Grand Finale.

The initiative, sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and funded by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (First E&P), is a collaborative effort designed to stimulate youth-led entrepreneurship and reduce the nation’s dependency on imported technologies.