Nigerian AI Researcher Collins Lemeke Receives IEEE President’s Coin at UK Parliament

Oluchi Chibuzor

Nigerian-born artificial intelligence researcher Collins Lemeke has achieved a significant international milestone after receiving the prestigious Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) President’s Coin, personally presented by the 2026 IEEE President and CEO, Mary Ellen Randall, at the United Kingdom Parliament in London.

Lemeke, an Associate Researcher at the Centre of Intelligence of Things (CIoTh), University of Greater Manchester, Bolton, received the recognition during a high-profile parliamentary gathering on 3 November 2026. The event was attended by distinguished representatives of academia, technology and government, including the United Kingdom’s Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Kanishka Narayan MP.

The recognition is particularly significant because the IEEE President’s Coin is not a conventional conference award or certificate of participation. It represents a personal acknowledgement from the highest elected leadership of IEEE, one of the world’s foremost professional organisations dedicated to advancing technology for humanity.

The President’s Coin has been used to recognise individuals whose service, leadership, dedication and contributions reflect the values and mission of IEEE. Its significance lies not simply in the coin itself, but in the personal recognition it represents from the organisation’s President.

For Lemeke, receiving the coin directly from Randall at the UK Parliament marks an important milestone in his professional journey and places a spotlight on the contributions of emerging Nigerian researchers within the international engineering and technology community.

Award-Winning Research in Natural Language Processing

The recognition follows closely on another achievement. In October 2026, Lemeke received the Natural Language Processing (NLP) Excellence Award at the ICI3T 2026 international conference, organised by the “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Romania.

The award recognised his research paper, “Adaptive Cognitive Psychointelligence for Affective State Recognition: A Lightweight NLP Framework for Human-Centred AI”, which he presented at the conference on 26 October 2026 and which is set to be published by Springer in its Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems series.

His research focuses on building efficient, human-centred AI systems that can recognise emotional states from language, with applications in mental health support and accessible technology, while using far less computing power than large AI models.

From Presidential Recognition to Robotics Innovation

In another major development, Lemeke led a robotics exhibition at IEEE Future Automation Day, hosted by the University of West London on 3 November 2026, in collaboration with the Centre of Intelligence of Things, University of Greater Manchester, Bolton.

The exhibition gave Lemeke the opportunity to demonstrate the practical application of intelligent robotics through two interactive robotic systems, Zeus Car and GalaxyRVR, developed to encourage accessible and engaging interaction between humans and machines.

Zeus Car, an omnidirectional robotic vehicle built on mecanum-wheel technology, was programmed with six operational modes, including the ability to trace geometric patterns such as squares and triangles.

One particularly creative feature, known as Peekaboo, allows the robot to respond to approaching individuals by retreating before reappearing, demonstrating responsive robotic behaviour in an entertaining and educational format.

GalaxyRVR, the second platform, featured four interactive modes, including a Greeter function that welcomes participants through coordinated lighting effects and a Party mode that enables the robot to perform rhythmic movements.

Beyond their entertainment value, both robotic systems demonstrate how intelligent automation can be applied to practical learning, public engagement and accessible STEM education.

An Innovative Approach to Human-Robot Interaction

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Lemeke’s exhibition was the simplicity of the control mechanism.

Unlike conventional robotic systems that depend on remote controls, dedicated mobile applications or computers, Lemeke’s demonstrations let users switch between operating modes simply by holding a book in front of the robot for about two seconds.

The approach removes the need for participants to understand complex control interfaces, allowing people with little or no robotics experience to interact directly with the systems.

The sensors were also configured to prevent unintended mode changes when people walked past the robots, showing careful attention to reliability and usability in a busy exhibition environment.

This highlights an important direction in modern robotics: making intelligent systems more intuitive, inclusive and accessible to a wider population.

In a further contribution to education and knowledge sharing, Lemeke made the software for both robotic demonstrations openly available on GitHub to researchers, educators, students and technology enthusiasts.

Building on SunFounder’s open-source robotic platforms, the projects create opportunities for further experimentation, modification and use in teaching, technology outreach and practical research.

CIoTh: Developing Globally Competitive Research Talent

Lemeke’s achievements also reflect the expanding research and innovation activities of the Centre of Intelligence of Things (CIoTh) at the University of Greater Manchester, Bolton, under the leadership of Professor Celestine Iwendi, Professor of Artificial Intelligence and IEEE Communications Society Distinguished Lecturer.

The Centre continues to advance interdisciplinary research in artificial intelligence, intelligent systems and emerging technologies, and their practical application to societal and industrial challenges.

Through international partnerships, research mentorship and participation in major professional programmes, CIoTh gives researchers opportunities to turn academic knowledge into practical innovation while gaining exposure to international scientific and engineering communities.

Professor Iwendi’s leadership has placed particular emphasis on nurturing emerging researchers, supporting innovation and creating platforms for meaningful international engagement.

Lemeke acknowledged the contributions of Professor Iwendi, CIoTh, the IEEE UK and Ireland Section, and the University of West London in supporting the activities that made these achievements possible.

A Milestone for Nigerian Research Excellence

Lemeke’s recognition at the UK Parliament, his robotics exhibition and his NLP Excellence Award together offer a compelling example of how Nigerian research talent is contributing to international technological advancement.

At a time when artificial intelligence, automation and intelligent systems are reshaping industries and societies, such achievements highlight the importance of investing in research capacity, international collaboration and opportunities for emerging innovators.

The IEEE President’s Coin stands as a meaningful distinction in Lemeke’s professional development, combining personal recognition from the leadership of a globally respected engineering organisation with the opportunity to demonstrate his technical expertise on a public platform.

For CIoTh and the University of Greater Manchester, the achievement reinforces the value of research mentorship, institutional support and international engagement in developing the next generation of technology innovators.

For Collins Lemeke, autumn 2026 has delivered defining moments: an international award for his AI research, recognition at the heart of British parliamentary life, and the chance to showcase accessible robotics innovation to the public.

It is, indeed, a November to remember, and another encouraging chapter in the global story of Nigerian excellence in science, engineering and technology.