The UBA Foundation has opened applications for the 2026 edition of its National Essay Competition, inviting Nigerian senior secondary school students to participate in the annual writing contest.
The competition is designed to promote reading, writing, research and critical thinking among secondary school students while providing educational support to outstanding participants.
For the 2026 edition, participants are required to write an essay on the topic: “No Nation Can Develop Without Food Security. How Can Nigeria Deal With This Problem?”
According to the competition guidelines, entries must be handwritten and should not exceed 750 words.
Eligible participants are Nigerian students currently enrolled in senior secondary schools. Applicants are required to complete the online application process and provide supporting documents, including a recent passport photograph and a valid means of identification.
Accepted identification documents include a birth certificate, National Identification card or international passport.
Students are expected to ensure that their essays address the prescribed topic directly and comply with the competition’s format and word-count requirements before submission.
The UBA Foundation National Essay Competition is part of the foundation’s education and youth-development initiatives, which seek to encourage intellectual development and provide opportunities for young Nigerians to pursue further education.
Outstanding participants will receive educational grants and other prizes. The published prize structure from the previous edition included N15 million for the winner, N10 million for the first runner-up, N7.5 million for the second runner-up, N5 million for the third runner-up and N3.5 million for the fourth runner-up.
The educational grants are intended to support the beneficiaries’ undergraduate studies.
Interested students are required to complete the application form through the UBA Foundation’s designated application platform, upload the required documents and submit their handwritten essays before the closing date.
The deadline for the 2026 competition is October 23, 2026.
The foundation advised prospective participants to ensure that all information supplied during the application process is accurate and that their entries meet the prescribed requirements before submission.
