Young Engineers, especially female ones have been tasked on the need to embrace creativity, problem-solving and entrepreneurship in order to ensure technological advancement.
Experts and established engineers from across the country, gave this charge as the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Lagos State Chapter hosted the SHEnovation Grand Finale 2025 and Public Lecture 2.0 with the theme: ”From Circuit Boards to SHEnovation: How Young Women Engineers Can Code, Create, Conquer—And Cash Out”.
Keynote Speaker and Pro-Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ashiru, while delivering his address, offered a direct and practical roadmap for young engineers seeking to turn their ideas into impactful ventures.
“My lecture was to encourage young engineers to grow their skills and to see every challenge as an opportunity for invention,” he said. “Engineering is not just about solving problems. It’s about creating value, social and commercial from those solutions.”
Prof. Ashiru stressed that innovation must go hand in hand with enterprise. Many young inventors, he noted, often shy away from commercializing their ideas due to fear or lack of support.
He urged them to seek strategic partnerships with industries, coordinators and financiers who can help transform innovative concepts into marketable products and viable businesses.
The keynote Speaker also shared practical examples and success stories of engineers who leveraged their creativity to build successful startups, reinforcing that technical brilliance and business acumen must work in tandem.
The guest lecturer and Principal Consultant and CEO of Reservoir & Facilities Solutions Nigeria Ltd, Engr. (Mrs.) Oluseyi Afolabi, MNSE, FNSChE, likened the human brain to a printed circuit board, drawing parallels between cognitive wiring and engineering design.
“Just as every node and trace on a circuit board contributes to a complete function, every thought and decision we make as engineers shape the solutions we bring to the world,” she explained.
Engr. Afolabi focused on five key action points for young female engineers: discover their purpose, master coding as both a technical and life language, create consistently, conquer challenges with intentionality and deliver practical solutions that yield performance-based financial returns.
She encouraged participants to see coding not just as a technical skill, but as a mindset, one that enables structure, problem-solving and innovation.
The guest lecturer also emphasized that “cashing out” should not be misconstrued as opportunism but rather as the natural outcome of addressing real-world problems through meaningful engineering solutions.
“We are at a point where the fusion of engineering, entrepreneurship and sustainable development is no longer optional—it is essential. The SHEnovation platform is the future,” she said, challenging participants to think globally while solving locally.
Earlier in her welcome address, APWEN President, Engr. Dr. Adebisi R. Osim, FNSE, FNICE, FIMC emphasized the importance of investing in young women engineers and bridging the gap between academic theory and real-world engineering practice.
Engr. Dr. Osim who was represented at the occasion by the past Chairman of APWEN Lagos, Engr. Laolu Adedapo-Aisida congratulated the Lagos Chapter, led by Engr. (Dr) Atinuke Wuraola Owolabi, FNSE and the Planning Committee chaired by Engr. Dr. Olayinka S. Agbewuyi, for organizing a transformative event that signals a new era of female-led engineering breakthroughs.
“The theme ‘From Circuit Boards to SHEnovation: How Young Women Engineers Can Code, Create, Conquer—And Cash Out!’ captures the very essence of our work,” she said. “We are not just empowering women with knowledge, we are building an ecosystem where they can thrive economically through innovation.”
Blacktalker reports that dozens of young engineers presented innovative projects at the event, showcasing solutions across sectors such as energy, health, transportation and environment.
In the highlight of the event, 5 finalists emerged from the Shenovation competition organised for the undergraduate teams. In fifth place was Team CardioCore from Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti led by Princess Bamigboye. Their solution was a wearable, cost effective ECG device which uses AI-trained models to identify abnormalities in the electrical activity of the user’s heart. They won a cash award of N50,000
In 4th place was Team EcoHaven from the Federal Universty of Agriculture, Abeokuta, led by Mary Anjolajesu. Their solution was an AI-driven building management system. The team won a cash award of N75,000, while in 3rd place was Team Smart CookGuard from the University of Lagos led by Kehinde Adegboye. Their solution is a dualier intelligent cooking safety system which is a combination of sensor technology, Artificial Intelligence and automated safety mechanism. The team walked away with a cash prize of N100,000.
Team VIREA from Covenant University led by Stephanie Emenike came in 2nd and their solution is a smart glasses for the visually impaired with a built-in camera integrated with AI which allows the device read text aloud while identifying obstructions. They won a cash award of N150,000
In 1st place was Team SmartMaterial led by Success Asokere from Lagos State University, Epe Campus and their solution is an AI-powered material selection for efficient building design. They won a cash award of N200,000