Nigerian technology group, SystemSpecs is leveraging one of its flagship social impact initiatives to nurture the next generation of problem-solvers and technology-driven thinkers.
The company recently announced the winners of its 2026 Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC), concluding a four-month nationwide programme that engaged thousands of young Nigerians in exploring how technology can improve transportation safety and efficiency across the country.
The competition, now in its seventh year, has evolved beyond a traditional essay contest into a strategic platform for developing critical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving skills among young Nigerians. Since its launch in 2020, the initiative has attracted more than 20,000 entries from participants across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
This year’s theme, “Achieving Safer and More Effective Transportation in Nigeria Through Information Technology,” challenged participants aged between nine and sixteen to propose technology-driven solutions to some of the country’s most pressing transportation challenges.
Speaking on the competition, Bukola Adeboye, group head of corporate services at SystemSpecs, said the quality of submissions reflected a growing awareness among young Nigerians of technology’s role in addressing national challenges.
“What stood out was how thoughtfully these children connected technology with practical solutions across road, rail, air, and water transportation. Many proposed ideas around commuter safety, digital monitoring, emergency response systems, traffic coordination, and accessibility,” she said.
According to Adeboye, the competition’s multi-stage evaluation process remains central to preserving credibility and originality. Beyond written submissions, shortlisted participants underwent a second-level assessment designed to validate the authenticity of their work while providing judges with deeper insight into the thinking and motivations behind each essay.
The 2026 edition also highlighted increasing inclusivity, with female participation rising by 36.5 percent over the past three years, underscoring growing engagement among young girls in technology and innovation-focused initiatives.
In the Senior Category, Obioha Pharez of The Court Hill College, Lagos, emerged as the overall winner, while Idris Zainab of You-Nik International Technopreneurship Secondary School, Lafia, Nasarawa State, claimed top honours in the Junior Category.
Category winners will receive ₦1 million each alongside laptops, educational materials, internet subscriptions, and other prizes. Their respective schools, together with other top-performing institutions, will also receive laptop donations aimed at strengthening digital learning capacity.
For SystemSpecs, the competition forms part of a broader Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy focused on education, youth empowerment, and national development.
‘DeRemi Atanda, managing director of Remita, said the initiative demonstrates the capacity of young Nigerians to contribute meaningfully to discussions around national progress.
“CDEC continues to show that Nigerian children are observant, solution-driven, and capable of contributing meaningfully to conversations around national development. For us, this initiative is about investing in future leaders and innovators who can think critically about the country’s future,” he said.
Similarly, Udy Ngele, managing director of HumanManager, noted that transportation remains a critical component of productivity and economic growth, making digital innovation in the sector increasingly important.
“Digital transformation should not happen only within workplaces. It must also reflect in the ease, safety, comfort, and efficiency people experience daily while moving across the country. Smarter transportation systems ultimately improve productivity, workforce wellbeing, and human capital outcomes,” Ngele said.
SystemSpecs said it remains committed to sustaining the competition as a platform for discovering and nurturing future innovators capable of shaping Nigeria’s digital and economic future.
