Igbinedion University Students Qualify for NEO Regional Finals with AI Gas Innovation

Two students of Igbinedion University Okada have advanced to the Regional Stage of the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO) with an AI-driven innovation designed to address gas flaring challenges in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

The students, Esther Anene and Aigbe-Edebor Gaius, both from the Department of Petroleum Engineering, were selected after a competitive national review process.

Their project, titled “SMART-FLARE AI-Enabled Gas Capture and Monetization System,” leverages artificial intelligence to capture and convert flared gas into economically viable outputs, addressing both environmental degradation and energy inefficiency.

The advancement was communicated in a letter to the Vice-Chancellor, Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, confirming their qualification for the next stage of the competition.

The team is scheduled to compete at the regional finals in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, from April 19 to 21, 2026, where top performers will proceed to the bootcamp stage of the Olympiad.

To support prototype development and participation, the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad Management Team awarded the students a ₦3 million grant, covering development costs as well as logistics, accommodation, and feeding for the regional event.

The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad is designed to promote student-led engineering innovation across tertiary institutions, with a focus on scalable solutions to national and global challenges.