NEC 2026: UBA Foundation creates 41 million opportunities for young minds

Opportunities, they say, come but once. However, how about an opportunity that gives five young Nigerians a shot at getting a share of N41million in educational grants towards their university education?

To rewind a bit, the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition (NEC) is back for its 16th edition, and this year, it comes with even more reason for young writers to put pen to paper.

The annual competition gives senior secondary school students across Nigeria a platform to express their ideas, showcase their writing and critical thinking skills, and, for the top five, receive financial support towards their university education.

The prize pot has just gotten bigger as the first-place winner will receive a N15 million university grant, while the second- and third-place winners will receive N10.5 million and N7.5 million respectively. Fourth- and fifth-place winners – introduced for the first time in the competition - will also receive N5 million and N3.5 million each.

Participants will be expected to tackle a question that directly affects Nigeria’s future: “No nation can develop without food security. How can Nigeria deal with this problem?” That means this is a chance not just to write, but to think, question, and propose practical ideas for a challenge that affects everyone.

If you are a Nigerian senior secondary school student, this could be the opportunity to turn your words into something much bigger.

Applications close Friday, October 23, 2026. Essays must be handwritten and no more than 750 words, with applications submitted through the competition’s digital portal: https://www.ubagroup.com/nec/

Sometimes, an opportunity really does begin with putting your thoughts on paper for a share of 41 million Naira.

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