FUTO, ABU to represent Nigeria at Enactus World Cup
August 21, 2026 2:00 am
Federal University of Technology Akure
Two Nigerian universities have secured places at the Enactus World Cup in Brazil after producing innovations aimed at tackling challenges in agriculture, food processing, construction and energy.
The Federal University of Technology, Owerri, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, will be representing Nigeria after emerging as winners at the 2026 Enactus Nigeria National Competition held in Lagos.
While FUTO dominated two categories with a biofuel innovation and a construction-safety robot, ABU impressed the judges with solutions targeting tomato wastage and destructive farm pests.
FUTO’s biofuel project won the Enactus Early-Stage Final, while its ALTAR robot, developed to detect structural and construction failures, won the Julius Berger Innovation Challenge.
ABU, on the other hand, emerged as the winner of the Enactus Advanced-Stage Competition Final with NeemPest, an IAR-certified multi-modal biopesticide that eliminates Tuta absoluta within 48 hours.
Its TomPa project, which processes surplus tomatoes into powder and puree, also earned recognition at the competition.
The winning entries were selected from projects presented by 33 other universities at the final, which was organised under the theme, “Re-Imagining Transformation.”
The projects will now face winning teams from 35 countries at the Enactus World Cup in Brazil later this year.
The judging panel, comprising professionals, experts and business leaders, assessed the innovations on their relevance, originality, scalability, profitability and sustainability.
Speaking at the event, the Country Director of Enactus Nigeria, Michael Ajayi, said the participating students had demonstrated that university education could be applied directly to solving problems in their communities.
Ajayi said, “They reflect the ingenuity, resilience and determination of a generation committed to building a better Nigeria.”
He explained that the national final marked the end of 12 months of work by students across 33 tertiary institutions, who identified social and environmental challenges and developed business-based solutions to address them.
According to him, Enactus was committed to raising a new generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, ethical leaders and changemakers.
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.
“If properly inspired, motivated and supported, Nigerian youths can be extremely productive, highly innovative and globally competitive.”
Also speaking, the Deputy Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate General, Nigeria, Casey Bonfield, commended Enactus for helping students move beyond classroom theories and apply their knowledge to real-life problems.
Bonfield said such exposure would prepare the students for the global marketplace, adding that “building a future starts with building people.”
The Risk and Sustainability Officer, Julius Berger Plc, Shakira Mustapha, said collaboration among stakeholders remained critical to shaping Nigeria’s future.
She said Julius Berger’s partnership with Enactus Nigeria was supporting youth innovation and sustainable development, particularly by encouraging students to develop solutions for the construction and built-environment sectors.
Mustapha added that lasting transformation in the construction industry would require new ideas that were both practical and environmentally sustainable.
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