UBA Foundation Launches N41m Essay Competition for Youth

The UBA Foundation has opened entries for its 2026 National Essay Competition, providing N41 million in educational grants to senior secondary school students in Nigeria. This marks the 16th year of the competition, which aims to enhance writing skills, critical thinking, and a culture of reading among youth.

The first-place winner will receive a N15 million university grant, an increase from N10 million in 2025. The second-place winner will earn N10.5 million, while the third-place winner will receive N7.5 million.

For the first time, fourth and fifth-place finishers will also be awarded grants of N5 million and N3.5 million, respectively. All grants can be utilized at any African university of the winners' choice.

Participants are tasked with addressing the question: "No nation can develop without food security. How can Nigeria deal with this problem?" The competition closes for entries on Friday, October 23, 2026.