UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has opened entries for the 2026 edition of its annual National Essay Competition (NEC), with N41 million in educational grants and prizes set aside for the top five winners.
The competition, now in its 16th consecutive year, provides senior secondary school students in Nigeria and other parts of Africa with an opportunity to demonstrate their writing abilities, creativity and critical thinking while receiving financial support towards their university education.
For the first time, the Foundation has expanded its educational grants to include fourth- and fifth-place winners.
The overall winner will receive a N15 million university grant, representing a 50 per cent increase from the N10 million awarded to the winner in 2025. The second-place winner will receive N10.5 million, while the third-place winner will receive N7.5 million.
The fourth-place winner will receive N5 million, while the fifth-place winner will receive N3.5 million. The grants can be used towards university education at any African university selected by the winners.
This year’s competition will focus on Nigeria’s food security challenges, with participants required to write on the topic: “No nation can develop without food security. How can Nigeria deal with this problem?”
Students are expected to present practical and sustainable ideas capable of addressing the country’s food security concerns.
Speaking on the competition, UBA Foundation Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Bola Atta, said the initiative demonstrates the Foundation’s commitment to giving young Nigerians a platform to contribute ideas to national development.
She said, “For well over a decade, the National Essay Competition has provided a vital platform for our secondary school students to express their ideas and showcase their intellectual prowess.”
Atta added, “This year’s topic is particularly crucial, as it tasks them to confront one of the defining questions of our time, which is how we feed our nation and secure its future. We believe the young minds of today hold the key to a more prosperous and self-sufficient Nigeria.”
Eligible participants must be Nigerian senior secondary school students and are required to submit handwritten essays of not more than 750 words.
Applications must be completed through the competition’s digital portal on or before Friday, October 23, 2026.
Applicants are also required to complete the online application form and upload their handwritten essays alongside a recent passport photograph and a valid birth certificate, National ID card or international passport.
The National Essay Competition remains one of UBA Foundation’s major education initiatives and complements its Read Africa programme and other projects focused on promoting literacy, education and youth development across Africa.
Source: Provided report
