Lagos Launches Clean Energy Innovation Challenge for Secondary School Students

Secondary school students across Lagos State are set to develop solutions to real-world energy challenges as part of the Lagos Clean Energy Schools Innovation Challenge 2026, a new initiative focused on clean energy, STEM education and practical innovation.

The Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources launched the programme in Ikeja as part of efforts to expose young people to emerging opportunities in the energy sector and build a pipeline of future innovators, entrepreneurs and technical professionals.

Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources Biodun Ogunleye said the initiative was designed to go beyond a conventional school competition by encouraging students to identify problems, develop ideas and create practical solutions.

“This is not simply a competition. It is a platform for our young people to identify problems, ask questions, develop ideas and create solutions to real-world energy challenges,” Ogunleye said.

Students to Develop Clean-Energy Solutions

The challenge will focus on four major areas: solar energy and photovoltaics, energy efficiency and conservation, biogas and waste-to-energy, and wind and hybrid energy systems.

These areas reflect some of the technologies expected to play an increasingly important role in the transition towards cleaner and more diversified energy systems.

Ogunleye said the rapidly changing global energy landscape required deliberate investment in the young people who could eventually design, build, regulate, manage and lead future energy systems.

He added that Lagos, as a major economic and innovation centre, needed to develop the human capital required to participate meaningfully in the transformation of the energy industry.

According to the commissioner, building that capacity should begin early by giving students opportunities to engage with technology, innovation and practical problem-solving.

Competition Targets SS1 and SS2 Students

The maiden edition of the Lagos Clean Energy Schools Innovation Challenge will bring together eligible Senior Secondary School One and Senior Secondary School Two students from Education Districts 1, 2 and 3.

Participants will develop projects around the four clean-energy themes before progressing through different stages of the competition.

Students will initially compete at district level, with successful participants advancing to the state-level competition and ultimately the championship.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Ibilola Kasunmu described the programme as an investment in both young people and the future of the energy sector.

She said energy challenges facing Lagos and the wider global economy would increasingly require people capable of critical thinking, using technology and developing sustainable solutions.

Building Lagos’ Future Energy Workforce

Beyond identifying winning projects, the initiative is designed to strengthen students’ skills in creativity, teamwork, experimentation and structured problem-solving.

Ogunleye encouraged participants to remain curious, collaborate with their teammates and learn from setbacks encountered while developing their projects.

The broader objective, he said, is to develop young people who can recognise challenges and systematically work towards practical solutions.

The programme also aligns with Lagos State’s wider focus on youth development, STEM education, innovation and sustainability under its THEMES+ Development Agenda.

Government Seeks Private-Sector Collaboration

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said it plans to strengthen partnerships with schools, education authorities, private-sector organisations, mentors and other stakeholders to expand opportunities for young people interested in energy and technology.

Collaboration with industry could become particularly important in helping students move beyond classroom concepts to understand how clean-energy technologies are designed, financed, deployed and maintained in real-world environments.

Representing the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Bosede Adumasi said the challenge would give students an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to practical problems.

She also highlighted the importance of collaboration among government agencies, schools, teachers and industry partners in developing young talent.

Creating a Pipeline of Clean-Energy Innovators

The launch brought together officials and stakeholders from the energy and education sectors, including representatives of the Lagos State Electrification Agency, Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Education Districts, schools and implementing partners.

Teachers, school principals, mentors and participating students were also represented.

As Lagos expands its energy infrastructure and explores cleaner energy technologies, developing relevant technical and problem-solving skills among young people could help create a stronger local talent pipeline for the sector.

The Lagos Clean Energy Schools Innovation Challenge is expected to provide students with early exposure to renewable-energy technologies while strengthening their understanding of innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship.

By connecting STEM education with practical energy challenges, the programme seeks to develop a new generation of professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators capable of contributing to the evolving energy landscape in Lagos and across Nigeria.