UI DEFEATS THREE UNIVERSITIES IN A ROW AT UNIVERSITY DUEL' 26, ADVANCES TO QUATER FINALS

By Faith Ajewole

The University of Ibadan has maintained an impressive run at the DUEL University Competition 2026, defeating three institutions consecutively to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the academic contest.

Since making its debut in the competition earlier this year, UI has demonstrated strong intellectual performance across multiple rounds, emerging victorious against Caleb University, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).

The competition began for the University of Ibadan, on Sunday, February 7, 2026, with a commanding 24–6 victory over Caleb University in the preliminary stage of the competition. The debut win marked a strong start for UI in the STEM-focused contest.

Building on this momentum, UI faced LAUTECH in the subsequent round and delivered another dominant performance, defeating the institution 46–24 to advance further in the competition.

UI’s most recent victory came on Saturday, March 7, 2026, when the team triumphed over YABATECH with a 42–22 scoreline, completing a three-match winning streak that secured the university’s qualification for the quarter-finals.

Representing UI in the competition are three undergraduates selected through a rigorous Computer-Based Test (CBT): Akinnagbe Samuel, a 300-level Mechanical Engineering student; Olutayo Abayomi Elijah, a 200-level Medicine and Surgery student; and Oluwole Emmanuel Adeolu, a 300-level Industrial and Production Engineering student.

Organised by STEM Africa, University DUEL is an annual competition designed to test and showcase the intellectual capacity of Nigerian undergraduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The contest evaluates participants’ abilities in critical thinking, rapid problem-solving, and the practical application of academic knowledge.

With three consecutive wins already secured, the University of Ibadan now advances to the quarter-finals, where it will compete against other leading universities in the race.