UNILAG, UNIBEN, ABU students' cars race at SEMA event in SA

Student teams from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, are competing at the Shell Eco-marathon, Africa (SEMA) in South Africa.

The students, who are being sponsored by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) Joint Venture, built cars for the marathon which is holding from the 2nd to the 4th of October.

Collectively known as Team Nigeria, they will be competing against 40 other teams from four counties at the Zwartkops Raceway, near Pretoria.

Participating teams build and race energy-efficient cars and the teams whose cars travel farthest with the least amount of fuel is rewarded.

The Managing Director SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, said the company sponsored the teams as part of its contributions to education in Nigeria.

“The sponsorship of the students opens an exciting phase in our long-standing support for education in Nigeria,” Okunbor said.

"In addition to awarding scholarships, building schools and donating science equipment, we’re challenging the leaders of tomorrow to begin to think about, and act on the difficult energy choices facing a rapidly increasing world population."

READ: ABU manufactures environment friendly car with local materials

gathered that the School of Electrical Engineering of the University of Johannesburg is hosting the event