The Professor Ogundipe Innovative Challenge (POIC) is back again!
Dubbed POIC 2.0, the grand finale of the second edition of this highly competitive Challenge is scheduled as follows:
Date: Thursday, February 8, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Venue: J.F. Ade. Ajayi Auditorium, UNILAG
Before arriving at this phase of the competition, applications opened to interested participants on the POIC official website (https://poic.unilag.edu.ng) in 2020, where nine hundred and forty-seven (947) applicants registered in one hundred and ninety-nine (199) teams with fifty (50) proposals. Subsequently, ten (10) semi-finalists were drawn from the total applicants and five (5) of them made it to the final round. They are:
| S/N | Name | Category | Team Lead | Institution |
| 1 | Tfree | Health Technology | Onyebuchi Chibuike Collins | University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State |
| 2 | Team ILUCENS | Food processing | Onayere Elizabeth | University of Lagos |
| 3 | Team Neptune | Bioengineering | Nwosu Paul Chinagorom | University of Lagos |
| 4 | Save a space | Software | Shola Fadare | University of Lagos |
| 5 | Team HORIZON | Technology | Oladunjoye Taiwo | Lagos State University |
These brilliant minds will compete for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes of ₦1 million, ₦750,000 and ₦500,000 respectively. They will be judged by seasoned professionals from different fields of expertise. They are:
- Dr. Chika Yinka-Banjo – Ag. Director, AIRLAB UNILAG
- Dr. Oladipupo Sennaike – Department of Computer Science, UNILAG
- Dr. Bamidele Wale-Oshinowo, – Department of Business Administration, UNILAG
- Mr. Bayo Adekanmbi, – Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council,
- SAH Harmond – Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council,
The Professor Ogundipe Innovative Challenge (POIC) is an initiative of the Faculty of Science, University of Lagos (UNILAG) named after and endowed by the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, FAS. It is a competition that provides a platform for students to develop hands-on skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through a network of state-of-the-art incubation hubs partnering with the initiative.
The maiden edition of the Innovative Challenge witnessed inspiring ideas from students of tertiary institutions across the nation, with Team Solution emerging overall winner.
In this edition, the Faculty of Science is collaborating with the Professor Ogundipe Innovation and Science Foundation (POISF) to host POIC 2.0. This is being done in partnership with the Lagos State Government and Zenith Bank.
POIC 2.0 will feature a Guest Speech by Dr. Victor T. Odumuyiwa, Acting Director, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) IT Hub (NITHub), University of Lagos titled, “Empowering Tomorrow: Unleashing the Potentials of Gen Z for Disruptive Innovation“.
Chief Host: Prof. Folasade T. Ogunsola OON, FAS – Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG)
Host: Prof. Elijah Oyeyemi – Dean, Faculty of Science, UNILAG
Father of the Day: Prof. Ayodele F. Ogunye – Executive Vice-Chairman, Nautilus Nigeria Engineering and Construction Limited
Chairman of the Occasion: Mr. Kola Adesina – GMD, Sahara Power Group
Special Guest of Honour: His Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu – Governor, Lagos State
For enquiries, contact the Planning Committee Chairperson – Dr. Temitope Onuminya (07030241452; tadeyemi@unilag.edu.ng).
