By Cynthia Alo & Kafayat Kokumo
The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU) have won the 2026 Enactus Nigeria National Competition, earning the right to represent the country at the Enactus World Cup in Brazil later this year.
The two universities emerged winners at the national finals held recently in Lagos, beating 35 other participating institutions with innovations spanning biofuel, robotics, biopesticides and food processing.
FUTO won two categories, claiming the Enactus Early Stage Final with a biofuel project and also the Julius Berger Innovation Challenge with ALTAR, a robot built to detect structural and construction failures.
Meanwhile, ABU won the Enactus Advanced Stage Competition Final with two innovations, NeemPest, an IAR-certified biopesticide that kills Tuta absoluta pests within 48 hours, and TomPa, a tomato processing brand that converts surplus tomato harvests into powder and puree.
The projects will compete against winning innovations from 35 countries for the world title.
The finals, themed “Re-Imagining Transformation,” saw projects evaluated by a panel of business leaders based on relevance, innovation, scalability, profitability potential and sustainability.
Speaking at the event, Country Director of Enactus Nigeria, Michael Ajayi, said the finals were the culmination of over 12 months of work by Enactus students across 33 tertiary institutions who identified problems in their communities and developed business-driven solutions.
According to him, Enactus would continue to make a significant difference by nurturing entrepreneurs, innovators, ethical leaders and changemakers who understand that education finds its purpose when it is applied to solving real societal problems.
Ajayi said the projects went beyond an academic exercise adding that Enactus Nigeria is focused on preparing Nigerian youths to becoming resourceful, purposeful and value-driven leaders capable of driving change.
He said: “In the process of inspiring change, we transform the minds of participating students and prepare them for future success, whether as entrepreneurs or individuals.
“They reflect the ingenuity, resilience and determination of a generation committed to building a better Nigeria.
“If properly inspired, motivated and supported, Nigerian youths can be extremely productive, highly innovative and globally competitive,” Ajayi added.
Also speaking at the event, Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the US Consulate General in Nigeria, Casey Bonfield, commended Enactus Nigeria for helping students turn classroom knowledge into practical solutions.
He said exposing students to real-life challenges would prepare them for the global market.
“Building a future starts with building people and the future belongs to those willing to imagine what is possible and then build it,” he said.
In her remarks, Risk and Sustainability Officer at Julius Berger Plc, Shakira Mustapha, explained that her company believes in the importance of collaboration among stakeholders in shaping the future of Nigerians.
She said the partnership with Enactus Nigeria is to support youth innovation and sustainable development by creating opportunities for students to develop practical solutions to challenges in Nigeria’s construction and built-environment sector.
Mustapha stated that achieving true change in the construction industry requires fresh ideas that are environmentally sustainable.
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