Dangote Cement Undergraduate Research Competition 2026 for Nigerian Engineering Students

The Dangote Cement Undergraduate Industry-Based Engineering Research Competition invites Nigerian university engineering students to tackle real cement-manufacturing challenges for a chance to win part of 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 winning teams receive certificates
• 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
• 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
• Registration opens: 30 June 2026

Good to know

• All four challenge tracks are weighted equally
• Submit only original work