Students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) pulled a stunning victory at the 2026 edition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Student Technical Symposium and Exhibition, clinching first place in the highly competitive National Energy Challenge.
The event, which brought together top engineering students from across Nigeria, was held at the Petroleum Training Institute, Warri, Delta State, from March 26 to March 28, 2026.
Team UNILAG outperformed eight other participating universities with an innovative solution designed to improve safety in high-risk industries. Their project, titled Smart Helmet: IoT-Based Smart Safety Helmet for Real-Time Health Monitoring, Hazard Detection, and Emergency Response , impressed judges with its practical application and technological integration.
The device is designed to tackle delayed emergency response in sectors such as oil and gas and construction. It incorporates a pulse rate sensor capable of detecting sudden spikes that may indicate accidents and automatically sends real-time alerts to Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) personnel. The helmet also features an accelerometer for fall detection, a critical function during hazardous operations such as climbing industrial structures.
The winning team comprised students from multiple disciplines, reflecting a strong interdisciplinary approach. They are: • Ogboro Olaoluwa Samuel (500 Level, Petroleum and Gas Engineering)
• Adegboye Kehinde (400 Level, Mechanical Engineering)
• Chi-ife Ileka (400 Level, Computer Engineering)
• Uko Samuel (500 Level, Petroleum and Gas Engineering)
• Kenneth Silva-Eboagwu (400 Level, Physics)
• Odujirin Boluwatife (500 Level, Petroleum and Gas Engineering)
• Ajah Raphael (500 Level, Petroleum and Gas Engineering)
• Udomeh Gerald (400 Level, Petroleum and Gas Engineering) and
• Adegoke Precious (500 Level, Petroleum Engineering)
Their victory highlights the growing role of student-led innovation in addressing real-world challenges in Nigeria’s energy sector. It also underscores UNILAG’s commitment to fostering research, collaboration, and technology-driven solutions among its students.
The SPE Student Technical Symposium and Exhibition is an annual platform that showcases emerging talents in engineering and provides opportunities for students to present solutions to industry-relevant problems.
