**Modibbo Adama University Emerges Grand Prize Winner, Secures N50m

A leading integrated independent exploration and production company with full-cycle upstream delivery capability, FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P), has reaffirmed its commitment to developing Nigeria’s next generation of engineers.

This commitment was highlighted during the grand finale of the maiden edition of the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event recognised outstanding student innovators whose engineering solutions addressed real-world challenges, marking the culmination of months of regional qualifiers, prototype development, mentorship and boot camp sessions that equipped students from universities and polytechnics across Nigeria with practical skills in engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Olympiad attracted 984 participants across 375 teams from more than 80 tertiary institutions representing all six geopolitical zones of the country.

Delivering the sponsor’s address, the General Manager, Engineering and Capital Projects, FIRST E&P, John Alamu, emphasised that the competition reflects the company’s commitment to equipping students with the practical knowledge and innovative mindset required to excel in engineering and strengthen Nigeria’s future workforce.

Alamu, noting that initiatives such as the Engineering Olympiad provide a structured platform for young talent to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions that contribute to the country’s technological and industrial advancement, stated that, “FIRST E&P believes that developing STEM capacity is an investment in this country’s ability to solve its own problems. The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad has taken young engineers and taught them to think beyond the drawing board, and FIRST E&P is proud to have been a funding partner for this initiative. I commend NCDMB for championing the Olympiad and Enactus Nigeria for successfully delivering a platform that is helping shape the next generation of Nigerian engineers and innovators.”

In his address, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Acting Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Silas Ajimijaye, expressed appreciation to FIRST E&P for their unwavering support in successfully delivering the Olympiad.

Ajimijaye added that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy, which aims to build indigenous engineering capacity and equip young Nigerians with the knowledge and skills needed to drive industrial competitiveness, technological advancement, and sustainable national development.

The competition concluded in the awarding of prizes, with Team Mavericks of the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Adamawa State, winning the grand prize of N50 million and a Centre of Excellence building for its Faculty of Engineering.

The team’s winning innovation, Ubuntu Sapphire, is a community-powered rapid alert system that uses affordable devices to instantly notify neighbouring households and emergency responders during emergencies, offering a practical solution aimed at strengthening community security and emergency response infrastructure.

Speaking after receiving the award, Team Lead, Dr David Patrick, expressed gratitude to the organisers and sponsors for providing a platform that fostered innovation and practical learning.

The University of Ibadan emerged as the first runner-up, receiving N30 million and N75 million worth of engineering equipment for its Faculty of Engineering. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, secured third place and was awarded N20 million and N50 million worth of engineering equipment. The University of Jos finished fourth, receiving N10 million.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, UBA Foundation, has collaborated with Slum2School Africa to deliver a hands-on financial literacy workshop for underserved children.

At the event designed to equip participants with essential money management skills from an early age, an engaging learning companion, the UBA Money Explorers Book, was presented.

The book introduces the children to the fundamentals of financial literacy through interactive stories, practical money ledgers, games and activities.

The pupils were also introduced to the UBA Red Vault, a savings product created to encourage healthy financial habits from childhood.

This is part of UBA Foundation’s broader financial inclusion and social impact agenda, which promotes education, youth empowerment and community development through innovative learning programmes and grassroots outreach across the group’s 20 African countries of operation.

The Managing Director of UBA Foundation, Ms Bola Atta, underscored the importance of introducing children to financial education early, noting that such interventions help build lifelong habits that foster confidence, responsibility and economic independence.

“Every child deserves the tools to dream bigger and plan better, regardless of where they come from. When we teach a child to understand money, we are giving them confidence, choice and a clearer sense of what is possible.

“Our partnership with Slum2School Africa enables us to reach children who stand to benefit the most, and seeing their enthusiasm as they learn reminds us why this work is so important,” she stated.

Also commenting, UBA’s Segment Executive for Children and Youth Banking, Ozioma Obi, said, “We are creating products and experiences that make banking simple, relatable and enjoyable for children from their very first lesson.

“The Money Explorers Book and the UBA Red Vault are designed to make saving exciting rather than a task. When children begin this journey early, they develop habits that will serve them throughout their lives. That is how we nurture informed, empowered and financially responsible future generations.”

On his part, the Senior Programmes Manager for Slum2School Africa, Mr Adekunle Idowu, said, “Financial literacy is a life skill that every child deserves, regardless of their background.

“Through this partnership with UBA Foundation, we are helping children develop the confidence, knowledge and discipline to make informed financial decisions from an early age. When we empower children with these skills today, we are investing in a more financially responsible and economically resilient future.”

By Adedapo Adesanya

No fewer than 34 tertiary institutions are under investigation by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) over allegations that they withheld refunds from students after receiving duplicate tuition payments under the federal government’s student loan programme.

Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Sunday, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, explained that the agency acted after receiving numerous complaints and petitions from affected students.

According to him, the investigations are being carried out in collaboration with anti-corruption agencies, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), internal auditors and other stakeholders to determine the extent of the alleged infractions and ensure students receive the refunds due to them.

“I can tell you that there are about 34 institutions that we are looking at at the moment because of the number of petitions we’ve received,” Mr Sawyerr said.

He explained that the issue arose because President Bola Tinubu directed the immediate rollout of the student loan scheme in the middle of an academic session rather than waiting for a new academic year.

As a result, many students had already paid their tuition before NELFUND later settled the same fees directly with their institutions, leading to double payments.

“What happened is that a lot of schools got double payment—some from the students and some from us. The institutions that received the duplicate payments are responsible for refunding the students,” he said.

Mr Sawyerr noted that many beneficiaries urgently need the refunds because they borrowed money from parents, relatives or other sources to pay their fees before accessing the loan scheme.

While commending some institutions for promptly refunding affected students, he said others had delayed the process, although NELFUND was still investigating whether the delays were deliberate or caused by administrative shortcomings.

Mr Sawyerr said the agency is developing a token-based payment system that will allow students to authorise tuition payments directly at their institutions using their mobile phones as a way of blocking any reoccurrence.

He also explained that NELFUND deliberately pays tuition fees directly to schools instead of students to prevent the diversion of education funds for other purposes.

The NELFUND boss also admitted that the agency lacks the legal authority to compel institutions to make refunds or prosecute offenders, noting that many frustrated students have also submitted petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

He added that NELFUND recently deployed a multi-agency team, including officials from the EFCC, ICPC, NANS and the agency’s internal auditors, to investigate one of the institutions accused of withholding refunds.

Mr Sawyerr also revealed that NELFUND has refused to approve excessive tuition increases by some institutions, insisting that the agency would not fund unjustified fee hikes while continuing efforts to improve transparency in the student loan programme.