Nebbi Scholarship recipient emerges overall best student at Makerere 76th graduation

Makerere University’s 76th graduation ceremony is slated for later this month and will this year spotlight exceptional academic achievement by 24-year-old finalist Simon Mungudit.

Mungudit, from the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) will be recognised as the overall best male student in the Sciences. 

He is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Geoscience and Production, having attained a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.76. 

His performance places him among the most accomplished graduates in the University’s recent history.

Mungudit was born in West Nile district of Nebbi to Mr Owor Thomas, a Game Ranger with the Uganda Wildlife Authority at Murchison Falls National Park, and Ms Lilly Obewun Grace from Akuru Bridge Village in Nyaravur Sub-County

His early promise was evident at Karuma Primary School, where he obtained 12 aggregates in the Primary Leaving Examinations. He later achieved 14 aggregates in eight subjects at O’ Level from St Daniel Comboni College, Nebbi.

He completed his A’ Level studies at Namilyango College, offering Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, and scored 19 points. 

These results earned him government sponsorship to pursue petroleum geoscience at Makerere University. 

Throughout his undergraduate studies, his academic interests focused on reservoir engineering, petrophysics and drilling, areas central to modern energy systems.

Mungudit attributes his success to strong mentorship, discipline and structured peer learning. 

He acknowledges the support of his parents and oil company TotalEnergies—who fully sponsored his A’ Level education—for financing his studies. 

At Makerere, he benefited from close academic guidance, particularly from Dr Arthur Batte, Head of the Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies, who describes him as a humble and highly intelligent student.

Mungudit demonstrated strong professional engagement. He led a team that won the 2024 AAPG Reservoir Modelling Challenge at Makerere University and was First Runner-Up in the SPE Petro Bowl competitions in 2023 and 2025. 

He also served in leadership roles within the Society of Petroleum Engineers, including coordinating major student-industry engagements. 

His training with TotalEnergies and the Uganda National Oil Company further strengthened his practical skills in exploration and seismic acquisition.

Currently serving as Special Projects Coordinator for the SPE Uganda Section Student Liaison Committee, Mungudit aspires to build a career in the upstream oil and gas sector as a geoscientist, alongside pursuing further studies in petroleum engineering.