Clintonel Innovation Centre in Aba to Host Nigerian Genius 2023

By Bennett Oghifo

Clintonel Innovation Centre (CIC), a makerspace and engineering-focused tech hub in Aba, is set to host the second edition of the Nigerian Genius, an engineering competition designed to help in bridging the engineering skills gap in Nigeria between the industry and the academia.

The Nigerian Genius brings together Nigeria’s brightest minds to solve Nigeria’s most complex engineering and manufacturing challenges. The campus edition gathers the most innovative and skilful engineering students from various tertiary institutions to learn and deploy advanced engineering skills in building solutions for Nigeria’s toughest problem.

These young geniuses spend two weeks at the CLINTONEL Advanced Engineering Centre Aba undergoing intensive training on engineering and different manufacturing processes including: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Product Design, Prototype Development, Welding, Fabrication, Metal Casting, Computer Aided Design (CAD), and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) such as 3D Printing, Laser Engraving, Laser Cutting and CNC machining. Then they are given access to advanced manufacturing equipment to build prototypes of their solutions.

A team of industry and academia experts mentor and guild the students (contestants) for the 2-week period as they deploy the skills acquired to design and build different engineering products and solutions

According to the founder of Clintonel Innovation Centre (CIC) Aba, Tochukwu Chukwueke, “Nigeria needs competent engineers for industrial and economic development, to move from consumption to production. Hence the need for the Nigerian Genius”

Winners of the engineering competition will go home with a cash prize of N1 million naira. In addition, their tertiary institution will be ranked no. 1 in engineering education. The competition will be held at Clintonel Advanced Engineering Centre (AEC), Aba and will last for a period of two weeks. Participants will have free accommodation and feeding throughout the duration of the competition.

Interested engineering students can apply with this linke: bit.ly/NigerianGenius2023 ;
The Deadline for application is Wednesday, 31st May 2023
Applicants should be a team of 3 students with complimentary set of skills such as: CAD, CAM, Embedded Systems, Welding, Fabrication, PCB, etc.
Female students are highly encouraged to apply.

To qualify for the application, you have to be an undergraduate in a Nigerian University or Polytechnic.
Last year, Clintonel organised the maiden edition of the Nigerian Genius Engineering Competition which brought together Nigeria’s brightest minds in four tertiary institutions out of the 45 that were shortlisted for the competition. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Federal University Otuoke (FUOTUOKE), Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMINNA), and University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) were the four tertiary institutions selected as finalists. The competition last year was won by the team representing University of Nigeria Nsukka.