TotalEnergies Nigeria’s Senior Drilling Engineer to evaluate renewable energy innovations at West Africa’s premier tech and sustainability forum
WATEF Announces Joshua Umejuru as Judge for the 2023 Hackathon; The West Africa Tech Excellence Forum (WATEF) has announced the appointment of Mr. Joshua Umejuru, Senior Drilling Engineer at TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, as one of the official judges for the WATEF Hackathon 2023. The announcement was made ahead of the forum’s flagship event in Lagos, which will bring together some of the region’s brightest young innovators, researchers, and technology developers under the theme “Engineering the Future: Renewable Solutions for a Sustainable Africa.”
Joshua’s selection reflects WATEF’s strategic commitment to integrating real-world industry expertise into the innovation ecosystem. As an engineer with more than twelve years of hands-on experience in drilling operations, well design, and energy system optimization, he brings to the judging panel a depth of technical and operational understanding that bridges traditional petroleum engineering with the emerging frontiers of clean and sustainable energy solutions.
A Career Built on Engineering Precision and Innovation
Joshua Umejuru is widely recognised within the energy sector as a professional who embodies both technical mastery and innovative thinking. A graduate with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Engineering, he has spent over a decade designing, managing, and optimising drilling operations across some of Nigeria’s most complex exploration and production fields.
At TotalEnergies, his contributions extend far beyond the mechanical aspects of drilling. He has led technical studies and operational frameworks that resulted in over $500 million in cost efficiencies for decommissioning projects, a milestone that demonstrates his ability to link engineering excellence with financial and environmental sustainability.
He also developed the Drilling Difficulty Index (DDI) Engineering Toolkit, an in-house software solution that streamlines well designed feasibility studies and helps engineers assess the risks and efficiency of drilling trajectories. This innovation has been described by peers as a “practical engineering compass” that simplifies complex design decisions and improves operational performance.
His success, however, is not limited to the field. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Joshua served as Lead Personnel on Board (POB) Coordinator, overseeing the safe and timely deployment of hundreds of personnel across multiple quarantine centres while maintaining operational continuity in one of the industry’s most turbulent periods. His calm leadership and systematic approach to problem-solving became a model of resilience for TotalEnergies’ onshore and offshore teams.
Why Joshua Fits the Renewable Energy Judging Role
Though his foundation is in petroleum engineering, Joshua’s professional outlook reflects a growing focus on energy sustainability and innovation-driven efficiency. His experience in managing complex drilling operations under environmental and economic constraints aligns closely with the objectives of the WATEF Hackathon, which encourages solutions that balance technology advancement with ecological responsibility.
According to the WATEF Secretariat, the renewable energy category, one of the most anticipated segments of this year’s Hackathon, demands evaluators who understand both the technical depth of energy systems and the broader transition toward sustainability. Joshua’s record in developing tools and processes that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and integrate digital systems into engineering workflows makes him an ideal fit.
Speaking on his appointment, Engr. Chiamaka Onyenekwe, Program Director at WATEF, noted that Joshua’s background brings “a crucial industry perspective that helps young innovators ground their renewable ideas in practical, scalable realities.”
“Mr. Umejuru’s experience with complex energy systems from well architecture to operational logistics adds real-world weight to our judging panel,” she said. “He understands that innovation is not just about invention but about measurable improvement in performance, safety, and sustainability.”
Technical Rigor and the Future of Clean-Tech Evaluation
As the energy industry undergoes one of its most significant transformations in history, the role of technical evaluation is changing. Engineers like Joshua are helping redefine what it means to measure innovation ; shifting focus from pure novelty to scalability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental integration.
For the renewable energy-focused categories at the WATEF Hackathon 2023, judges are expected to assess projects on their technical feasibility, long-term sustainability, and potential to accelerate the clean energy transition in West Africa. Joshua’s analytical approach, refined over years of designing and implementing data-driven engineering solutions, will be instrumental in ensuring that shortlisted innovations are not only creative but also realistic and impactful.
He brings an understanding that the success of renewable projects depends on their ability to integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure and local energy needs, a perspective honed through years of working in an industry where efficiency and safety are non-negotiable.
Inspiring a New Generation of Innovators
Beyond his technical credentials, Joshua represents a growing cohort of African professionals redefining the narrative of what it means to be an engineer in the 21st century, adaptable, data-driven, and committed to sustainability.
His involvement in the WATEF Hackathon offers participants more than an evaluation; it provides mentorship by example. Young innovators will find in him a judge who understands the tension between idealism and implementation someone who values ambition but demands evidence-based solutions.
“The next wave of African innovation will not come from theory alone,” Joshua remarked during a pre-event interview. “It will come from those who can connect engineering creativity with practical execution ideas that can survive beyond the pitch deck.”
His perspective mirrors WATEF’s mission: to create a convergence point for academia, industry, and entrepreneurship, empowering African talents to deliver technologies that can thrive both locally and globally.
What His Appointment Means for WATEF’s Mission
Joshua’s appointment strengthens WATEF’s commitment to credible, multidimensional evaluation of innovation. The Forum’s hackathon has evolved into a pan-African showcase where engineers, developers, and researchers collaborate on solutions for energy access, climate adaptation, and sustainable industrialisation.
In a statement released by WATEF Chairperson Dr. Nana K. Ofori, the organisation highlighted that “the inclusion of experienced industry professionals like Mr. Umejuru ensures that the Hackathon’s outcomes are not just symbolic, but strategic. Judges with such technical and operational depth help us connect innovation with implementation the very essence of what WATEF stands for.”
The 2023 judging committee includes engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and sustainability experts drawn from across Africa and Europe. Together, they will evaluate hundreds of submissions focusing on renewable energy technologies, smart infrastructure, and data-driven energy efficiency.
Shaping the Next Wave of Clean-Tech Innovation
The WATEF Hackathon 2023, scheduled to hold in Lagos later this year, will convene over 300 participants from universities, startups, and research hubs across the continent. Through its collaborative workshops, mentorship sessions, and pitch presentations, the event aims to uncover ideas that can accelerate the region’s transition toward a low-carbon future.
As a member of the judging panel, Joshua Umejuru will play a crucial role in identifying projects that balance technical innovation with sustainable application, setting a benchmark for excellence within the forum. His appointment embodies the Hackathon’s central ethos: that the future of Africa’s energy systems lies in uniting experience with fresh ideas.
In the words of Dr. Ofori, “When expertise meets innovation, transformation happens. Professionals like Joshua bridge that gap; they remind us that sustainability is not a distant goal but a process built on one design, one solution, and one engineer at a time.”
The West Africa Tech Excellence Forum (WATEF) is a regional platform dedicated to promoting innovation, research, and sustainable development across the technology and energy sectors. Through its conferences, awards, and hackathons, WATEF provides young innovators and professionals with opportunities to connect, collaborate, and showcase solutions that address Africa’s most pressing challenges in energy, environment, and industry.
The WATEF Hackathon 2023 will once again serve as the heartbeat of that mission, a space where experience meets youth, and where judges like Joshua Umejuru help shape the path toward a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient energy future for West Africa.
