KEY POINTS
- Premiere Academy students won the Battle of Energy Titans Challenge at YES NAFEST.
- Their Smart Solar Mini Grid targets underserved communities with offline capability.
- Judges praised its affordability, scalability and energy theft prevention features.
Students of Premiere Academy in Abuja have won the Battle of Energy Titans Challenge, a major renewable energy contest held during the Youth Eco Summit National Festival in the Federal Capital Territory.
The team beat nine other finalist schools with a project titled Premiere Academy Smart Solar Mini Grid. The project is a renewable energy solution designed to power underserved communities.
The contest is a flagship event of YES NAFEST. It brings together secondary schools to design practical energy models that address real world challenges. Participants present solutions that can power communities, promote sustainability or solve local energy gaps.
A smart solution for underserved communities
Premiere Academy’s entry stood out for its focus on affordability and access. The project combines a smart prepaid metering system with a solar powered mini grid. It is built to function without constant internet connectivity.
The system uses low power hardware such as the ESP 32 micro controller and PZEM 004T energy meters. The students said the design can be adapted for rural and off grid communities across Africa.
Judges described the project as scalable and practical. They said its offline capability gives it an advantage in areas with poor internet service.
The eight member panel included representatives from the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the Association of Professional Women in Engineering in Nigeria, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement.
The judges gave the project the highest score in the competition.
Judges highlight innovation and impact
In their assessment, the judges said the project was built on open source platforms. This makes it cost effective and easy to replicate.
They said the innovation promotes responsible energy use and addresses energy theft. The system is also designed to deliver stable and clean electricity to remote communities.
Organisers said the contest encourages young Nigerians to embrace science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics through hands on problem solving.
The Battle of Energy Titans has become a key feature of the annual eco summit. It attracts entries from schools across the territory.
School leaders praise students’ resilience
The team’s mentor, Okoro Chinedu, described the project as a technology driven solution. He said it has the potential to reshape renewable energy delivery in Nigeria and across Africa.
He said the victory reflects a culture of resilience and innovation that has defined the school for two decades.
The principal of Premiere Academy, Chris Akinsowon, congratulated the students and said the recognition reinforces the school’s commitment to excellence and teamwork.
He pledged continued support for students seeking exposure to emerging technologies and global best practices.
The victory places the students among a growing number of young innovators in Nigeria who are turning classroom ideas into practical solutions aimed at addressing the country’s energy challenges.
