National Essay Competition for Senior Secondary Students in Nigeria

Deadline: 23-Oct-2026

The National Essay Competition is an annual awards programme for senior secondary school students in Nigeria, designed to promote reading culture, critical thinking, intellectual competition, and academic excellence. The competition is a flagship initiative of the UBA Foundation, providing young Nigerians with an opportunity to explore important national issues through essay writing. The 2026 edition focuses on the connection between food security and national development and challenges students to present their ideas on how Nigeria can address food security challenges.

About the National Essay Competition

The National Essay Competition aims to encourage a strong culture of reading and intellectual engagement among Nigerian senior secondary school students. Through essay writing, the competition provides students with a platform to examine pressing national issues, develop their critical-thinking abilities, and demonstrate their academic potential. The programme also seeks to encourage intellectual growth and excellence among young Nigerians. National Essay Competition 2026 Topic For the 2026 edition, students are required to write on the topic: “No Nation Can Develop Without Food Security. How Can Nigeria Deal With This Problem?” The topic encourages students to consider the importance of food security to national development and propose practical ways Nigeria can address food-related challenges. How Does the Competition Work? The 2026 competition is organised in two stages.

Stage One: Essay Submission

Students submit their essays in response to the announced topic. Following the initial assessment, the 20 best essays are selected to proceed to the next stage.

Stage Two: Final Physical Test

The shortlisted 20 students participate in a final physical test. The final stage is used to determine the top five winners of the competition. How Much Are the Prizes? The National Essay Competition provides cash prizes to the top five winners.

The prizes are:

- 1st position: ₦15,000,000

- 3rd position: ₦7,500,000

- 4th position: ₦5,000,000

- 5th position: ₦3,500,000

The supplied information does not state the prize amount for the 2nd-position winner. Who Can Apply? The competition is open to Nigerian senior secondary school students. Applicants must meet the student eligibility requirement and submit an essay based on the official 2026 competition topic. Essay Requirements Applicants must prepare a handwritten essay responding to the 2026 topic.

The essay must:

- Be handwritten. - Contain no more than 750 words. - Address the announced food security topic. - Present the student’s own response to the issue. Students should ensure that their essays remain within the 750-word limit. What Documents Are Required? Applicants are required to submit the following materials: - Completed application form. - Handwritten essay of no more than 750 words. - Recent passport photograph. - Scanned copy of one acceptable identification document, such as a birth certificate, national ID, or international passport. Applicants should ensure that the required documents are complete when submitting their entries. What Is the Purpose of the Competition? The National Essay Competition is designed to: - Promote a culture of reading among young Nigerians. - Encourage critical thinking. - Provide a platform for intellectual competition. - Encourage students to engage with important national issues. - Promote intellectual growth. - Support academic excellence among senior secondary school students. The competition combines essay writing with a final assessment to identify and reward outstanding student participants. Why Is Food Security the 2026 Topic? The 2026 essay topic asks students to examine the relationship between food security and national development. By asking how Nigeria can address food security challenges, the competition gives students an opportunity to think about national development, identify challenges, and present their own ideas and possible solutions. Key Facts About the National Essay Competition 2026

- Programme: National Essay Competition

- Organiser: UBA Foundation

- Country: Nigeria

- Eligible applicants: Nigerian senior secondary school students

- 2026 topic: “No Nation Can Develop Without Food Security. How Can Nigeria Deal With This Problem?”

- Competition stages: Two

- Shortlisted essays: 20

- Final winners: Top five

- 1st prize: ₦15,000,000

- 3rd prize: ₦7,500,000

- 4th prize: ₦5,000,000

- 5th prize: ₦3,500,000

- Essay format: Handwritten

- Maximum essay length: 750 words

- Required documents: Application form, passport photograph, and acceptable identification document

Frequently Asked Questions About the National Essay Competition 2026 What is the National Essay Competition? The National Essay Competition is an annual UBA Foundation initiative that promotes reading, critical thinking, intellectual competition, and academic excellence among senior secondary school students in Nigeria. Who can participate in the competition? The competition is open to Nigerian senior secondary school students. What is the 2026 essay topic?

The 2026 topic is: “No Nation Can Develop Without Food Security. How Can Nigeria Deal With This Problem?”

How many students are shortlisted after the first stage? The 20 best essays are selected from the initial entries for the final stage. How are the final winners selected? The shortlisted students participate in a final physical test, which determines the top five winners. What is the first prize? The winner receives a prize of ₦15,000,000. What is the third prize? The third-position winner receives ₦7,500,000. What is the fourth prize? The fourth-position winner receives ₦5,000,000. What is the fifth prize? The fifth-position winner receives ₦3,500,000. How long can the essay be? The essay must contain no more than 750 words. Does the essay need to be handwritten? Yes. Applicants are required to submit a handwritten essay. What documents must applican