Dangote Cement Undergraduate Research Competition For Nigerians

The Dangote Cement Undergraduate Industry-Based Engineering Research Competition invites Nigerian university engineering students to tackle real operational challenges in cement manufacturing and compete for a ₦1.5M prize pool.

What it offers

• Total prize pool: ₦1.5M
  • Gold (1st Place): ₦700K
  • Silver (2nd Place): ₦500K
  • Bronze (3rd Place): ₦300K
• All winners receive a certificate
• Awards presented at the final pitch on 14 July 2026 at University of Lagos (UNILAG)

Who can apply

• Teams of 2–4 currently enrolled university engineering students
• Teams must be from one school
• Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged
• No prior cement-industry experience required

What you'll do

• Select one of four challenge tracks:
  1. Alternative Fuel Sourcing and Pricing Optimization
  2. Predictive Maintenance and Reliability Early-Warning System
  3. Cement Production Conversion Gap
  4. Digital KPI Automation and Data Quality
• Develop a practical, evidence-based solution to a real operational problem in cement manufacturing
• Present an engineering and business case for a workable solution

How to apply

• Register and submit via the competition portal
• Submission deadline: 16 July 2026 · 11:59 PM WAT
• Read the full challenge guidelines before applying

Good to know

• The competition aims to bridge the gap between academic engineering and real industrial operations
• It seeks to develop problem-solving, data, and business-case communication skills
• The challenge is set and sponsored by Dangote Cement Plc and organised by University of Lagos Engineering Society Academic & Research Board (ULES ARB)