In recent years, Nigerians have been rewriting global narratives—pushing boundaries in music, sports, technology, and even endurance. From Hilda Baci’s record-breaking cooking marathon to Tunde Onakoya’s historic 64-hour chess session in Times Square, a wave of ambition and brilliance has swept across the country. Now, another name joins that growing list of trailblazers: Oluwatobi Oyinlola, a Nigerian tech innovator and embedded systems expert, who has officially set a new Guinness World Record for the smallest GPS tracking device ever built.
Confirmed by Guinness World Records on April 27, 2025, the device measures an astonishingly compact 22.93 x 11.92mm, developed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Oyinlola is currently a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The feat places him—and by extension, Nigeria—at the forefront of innovation in the Internet of Things (IoT) and embedded technology industries.
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A Feat of Engineering and Vision
At just under an inch wide and half an inch tall, the device represents a major leap in the miniaturization of GPS technology. It can fit in objects as small as a keychain or smartwatch, opening up new opportunities across logistics, security, personal health monitoring, wildlife tracking, and even wearable tech for children and elderly individuals.
Guinness World Records described the invention as “a landmark achievement in embedded systems engineering, with far-reaching implications in real-world applications.”
Oyinlola himself explained that his goal was not just to shrink technology but to “democratize access to smart solutions”—ensuring they’re usable, scalable, and relevant in developing contexts as much as advanced ones.
Homegrown Genius, Global Impact
Born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria, Oyinlola’s journey is a familiar one for many brilliant African minds: nurtured locally, but refined on global platforms. His previous innovations include:
- SolarPocha: A solar-powered, all-weather workstation providing remote connectivity and clean energy access in underserved areas.
- Pay-As-You-Cook: A smart gas metering solution that allows users to purchase cooking gas in affordable increments, designed to address energy access in low-income communities.
Both projects underscore his commitment to creating tech that solves real African problems—a theme that continues in his current work at MIT.
National and International Recognition
The announcement sparked a wave of celebration across social media and official channels in Nigeria. President Bola Tinubu congratulated Oyinlola in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter):
“Congratulations, Oluwatobi, on this feat. You have just shown the world that Nigerian youth can! Your innovation is not only a personal milestone but a national moment of pride.”
The president emphasized the importance of nurturing such talent and creating an ecosystem where young Nigerians can thrive and lead on the global stage.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, echoed the sentiment:
“Oluwatobi’s work reinforces the extraordinary potential within Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem. As a government, we are committed to investing in and supporting brilliant minds like his to move Nigeria forward through technology.”
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A Pattern of Excellence
Oyinlola’s achievement is part of a growing trend of record-breaking accomplishments by Nigerians—especially among the youth. In the past two years alone, Nigerians have claimed world records in cooking, dance, chess, content creation, and now, cutting-edge hardware design.
It reflects a changing dynamic: young Nigerians are no longer waiting to be invited to the global stage—they’re building their own.
Looking Ahead
What comes next for Oyinlola? According to sources close to the engineer, the GPS tracker is currently in prototype phase but is being refined for large-scale deployment across Africa, with potential partnerships in healthcare, agriculture, and public safety already underway.
“This is just the beginning,” Oyinlola said in a brief remark. “We’re building for the future—one chip, one circuit, one innovation at a time.”
With innovators like him leading the charge, the future of African technology looks not just promising—but unstoppable.