By Peter Omopo
Obafemi Awolowo University has emerged as the overall winner of the 2026 University Duel Competition, outperforming participants from universities across the country in a contest designed to promote academic excellence and digital skills development.
The 11-week competition featured 186 students drawn from 62 universities, who competed in categories including Applied Mathematics, Data Analysis, General Knowledge, and Verbal Reasoning. The tournament was aimed at bridging theoretical knowledge with practical digital competencies.
Speaking during the presentation of prizes to the winners, the Dean of Student Affairs at Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. J.A. Odedire, commended MTN Nigeria for sponsoring the competition and supporting initiatives that promote intellectual development among students.
Odedire described the university’s achievement as historic, noting that OAU recorded a rare double victory in the competition.
“What we are celebrating is a double win. This is the first time that an institution has won both the University Duel and the Smart Challenge competitions in a sweep,” he said.
The competition provided a platform for students from different tertiary institutions to showcase their knowledge, analytical abilities, and problem-solving skills while encouraging innovation and digital literacy.
OAU’s victory further reinforces the institution’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s leading centres of academic excellence and highlights the growing importance of technology-driven learning and competitive intellectual engagement in higher education.
