UBA Foundation Names 20 Finalists for 2026 National Essay Competition
The UBA Foundation selected 20 finalists from over 12,000 senior secondary school entries across Nigeria for its 16th annual National Essay Competition.
In Brief
- •The UBA Foundation selected 20 finalists from over 12,000 senior secondary school entries across Nigeria for its 16th annual National Essay Competition.
- •A total pool of N41.5 million in educational grants and prizes will be distributed among the top five winners to fund study at any African university.
- •The first-place winner will receive a N15 million university grant, representing a 50 percent increase compared to the previous year's top award.
- •Finalists from various states will advance to a final round of supervised essay writing at UBA House in Lagos.
Why It Matters
The National Essay Competition provides substantial academic sponsorship to senior secondary students, easing financial barriers to higher education across Africa. By expanding prize funding to include fourth- and fifth-place finalists and increasing the top grant to N15 million, the initiative strengthens corporate support for youth literacy and academic excellence in Nigeria.
Key Details
- Total Prize Pool
- N41.5 million
- Total Applicant Entries
- Over 12,000
- First-Place Grant
- N15 million
- Second-Place Grant
- N10 million
- Third-Place Grant
- N7.5 million
- Fourth and Fifth Place Grants
- N5 million and N3.5 million
Context & Background
The annual National Essay Competition (NEC) is now in its 16th consecutive year as a key education initiative under UBA Foundation's Read Africa programme, which aims to improve literacy rates and support secondary education across Africa.
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