Samuel Oluolamide Adebanjo, a 22-year-old Aerospace Engineering graduate from Lagos State University (LASU), has publicly detailed his academic achievements after receiving a total of N30 million in cash rewards at the university's 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies. Adebanjo, who hails from Remo North Local Government Area in Ogun State, clinched the Overall Best Graduating Student title for the 2025/2026 academic session with a cumulative GPA of 4.97 out of 5.00, earning First-Class Honours. He also secured the Best Graduating Student titles for his faculty and department, making him a triple award winner at the convocation.
N30 Million in Cash Prizes from Governor and SEPP
Adebanjo's extraordinary performance drew recognition from two major sources. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu presented him with N20 million during the ceremony, while the Sunbeth Excellence Partnership Programme (SEPP) added a further N10 million in appreciation of his academic record, bringing his total cash prize to N30 million. This recognition highlights the value placed on academic excellence by both the state government and private partners.
Adebanjo, who is the first graduate engineer in his family's history, took to X on 21 August 2026 to re-introduce himself to the world with a post summarising everything he accomplished across four years. Beyond the CGPA, the post painted a picture of a student who treated university as far more than a classroom exercise.
Scholarships, Technical Papers, and Leadership Roles
During his studies, Adebanjo secured four scholarships from OPay, AltSchool Africa, CyberData Foundation, and the Biodun Collins Ogundipe Foundation. He authored six technical papers, two of which were peer-reviewed and published at the SPE NAICE 2026 conference, along with three Space and AI papers and one energy paper presentation. His academic output demonstrates a strong focus on engineering research and innovation.
He also held six executive leadership positions, including serving as SPE LASU Academic Director, ITSI Project Lead, and Space Club Learning and Development Coordinator. His shelf of academic and competition awards totals more than 12, including the AESA-LASU Scholar of the Year and the ESS Quizathon. He further earned over 40 technical certifications, spanning NVIDIA Deep Learning, Thales Robotics, ANSYS, and a 35-certificate Onshape pathway.
Adebanjo's Own Words and Milestones
Speaking about his achievements and his background, he said: "Re-introducing Engr. Samuel Adebanjo (GMNSE, P-COREN): an indigene of Ogun State (Remo North Local Government), the first graduate engineer in my family lineage, standing at 22 years old." He added, "Graduating as the Overall Best Graduating Student is the fulfillment of love, every sacrifice, parental prayers, and divine grace."
In his summary of milestones, Adebanjo listed: 4 scholarships from OPay, AltSchool Africa, CyberData Foundation, and Biodun Collins Ogundipe Foundation; 6 technical papers including 2 SPE NAICE 2026 peer-reviewed conference papers (published) plus 3 Space/AI papers and 1 energy paper presentation; 6 executive leadership roles such as SPE LASU Academic Director, ITSI Project Lead, and Space Club L&D Coordinator; 12+ academic and competition awards including Triple BGS (LASU Overall, Faculty, Dept), NUESA, AESA-LASU Scholar of the Year, and ESS Quizathon; and 40+ technical certifications including NVIDIA Deep Learning (DLI), Thales Robotics, Onshape Pathway (35 certificates), and ANSYS. He concluded, "I am proud to have made Ogun State and everyone proud!"
Dangote Foundation's Hostel Donation and Graduation Statistics
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Aliko Dangote Foundation pledged N600 million for a girls' hostel at LASU's 29th and 30th Convocation Ceremonies. LASU produced 20,604 graduates across two academic sessions, including 494 first-class graduates, underscoring the scale of the university's output and the significance of Adebanjo's achievements within that cohort.
