In their usual style of not thinking outside the box, but rather, thinking as though there is no box, our students here at the University of Lagos have done the University proud again. At this year’s edition of Shell Eco-Marathon, Team UNILAG comprising a total number of thirty-four (34) engineering and non-engineering students clinched the much-coveted Spirit of Shell Eco-Marathon Award (Europe Region).
Shell Eco-Marathon is a global academic programme conceived and promoted by Shell with a focus on energy optimisation. It is a competition which challenges talented and passionate students to design and build energy-efficient cars.
The Spirit of Shell Eco-Marathon Awards was launched to celebrate the real-life stories of Shell Eco-marathon teams. The Awards offered a platform on which teams showcased how collective passion, determination and team spirit enabled them to overcome the challenges of this unique year. Teams were also required to demonstrate verifiable authenticity and passionate energy for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and embody all that Shell Eco-Marathon stands for.
Upon successful entry into phase 3 of the 2020 Shell Eco-marathon on-track event which was eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Team UNILAG qualified to apply for the awards. In its entry, the Team highlighted the creation of a student community of Energy efficiency and automobiles enthusiasts called the SEM Hub. At the Hub, the Team educated members about Shell Eco-marathon; energy efficiency, as well as organised energy-related discussion sessions with invited local and international industry experts.
Furthermore, Team UNILAG revealed that it had been working on a Solar Generator as a side project which had passed the design stage. Images and videos of the computer-aided design were shared with Shell Eco-marathon.
The assessment process was in 2 stages. In both stages, shortlisted teams were assessed based on 4 criteria: Perseverance, Creativity, Empathy and Innovation.
Out of the over 50 submissions from 28 different countries across the three Shell Eco-marathon regions (Europe, Asia, America) and after a month of rigorously deliberating over the nominations, Team UNILAG was announced as the winner for the Europe Region alongside the winners from the two other regions during a virtual Awards Ceremony held live on Instagram and Twitter on September 30, 2020. Click to watch the Awards Ceremony here.
The Team was coached and led to victory by a competent set of staff advisers who monitored and was with it every step of the way. The staff advisers include:
- Professor Ike Mowete
- Associate Professor Hakeem Amuda
- Engr. Hisham Mohammed
- Engr. Francis O. Okewole
The members of Team Unilag, comprising about 28 engineering and 6 non-engineering students of various disciplines, include:
| S/N | Name | Department | Position |
| 1. | Fortune Adekogbe | Chemical and Petroleum Engineering | Team Manager |
| 2. | Fadil Ojifinni Kayode | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Design |
| 3. | Mary-Esther Anele | Law | Quality Control |
| 4. | Oluwatobi Adewale | Chemical and Petroleum Engineering | Quality Control |
| 5. | Toluwalase Oladipo | Law | Quality Control |
| 6. | Akachukwu Ofoegbu | Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering | Partnership and Finance |
| 7. | Osemudiamen Itua | Electrical Engineering | Electrical |
| 8. | Qowiyyu Adelaja | Electrical Engineering | Electrical |
| 9. | Oluchukwu Nwabuikwu | Law | Quality Control (Lead) |
| 10. | Sodiq Obagun | Metallurgical and Materials Engineering | Materials |
| 11. | Chioma Ibeakanma | Systems Engineering | Communication |
| 12. | Emmanuel Adeyemi | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Fabrication |
| 13. | Samuel Abiodun | Metallurgical and Materials Engineering | Communication |
| 14. | Princess Obire | Industrial Relations and Personnel Management | Administrative Coordination |
| 15. | Daniel Arikawe | Computer Engineering | Communication |
| 16. | Oluchi Nwaokorie | Civil Engineering | Materials |
| 17. | Favour Oluwadare | Civil Engineering | Materials |
| 18. | Oluwalana Ajayi | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Design |
| 19. | Harith Onigemo | Systems Engineering | Communication |
| 20. | Douye Tungbulu | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | Communication (Lead) |
| 21. | Lukmon Abdulsalam | Mechanical Engineering | Administrative Coordination |
| 22. | Daniel Aghahowa | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | Electrical |
| 23. | Efezino Elutabe | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Design |
| 24. | Favour Adekogbe | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | Electrical |
| 25. | Iteoluwakishi Babatunde | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | Electrical (Lead) |
| 26. | Abdul Adenike | Human Kinetics and health education | Partnership and Finance (Lead) |
| 27. | Samuel Onasanya | Systems Engineering | Mechanical Design (Lead) |
| 28. | Aminat Yakubu | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Fabrication (Lead) |
| 29. | Abdulrahman Adebayo | Metallurgical and Materials Engineering | Materials (Lead) |
| 30. | Michael Oladega | Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering | Mechanical Fabrication |
| 31. | Olaoluwayemi Rasheed | Systems Engineering | Administrative Coordination (Lead) |
| 32. | Okwesilieze Uwadoka | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Design |
| 33. | Boluwatife Omotoro | Systems Engineering | Partnership and Finance |
| 34. | Elochukwu Igwilo | Creative Arts | Mechanical Design |
It is important to acknowledge the previous Team Manager, Boluwatito Aiyepola, a 2018/2019 Chemical Engineering graduate of the University who handed over to Fortune Adekogbe. She led the team through the successful registration for the 2020 competition, and has been of tremendous help to the team, even after formally handing over at the end of July 2020.
The University Management on behalf of the University community heartily congratulates Team UNILAG on winning this award and wishes them more successes ahead.
