Khaira Ojima Bala, a 15-year-old student of Metro International School, Abuja, has emerged winner of the 16th edition of the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition, securing a N15 million educational grant as United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc strengthens its investment in youth development and access to higher education across Africa.
Bala was crowned Nigeria’s top secondary school essayist for 2026 at the grand finale of the competition held on Tuesday at UBA House, Marina, Lagos, where she emerged ahead of thousands of students who participated in the annual initiative.
The N15 million grant will enable her to pursue an undergraduate degree at any university of her choice in Africa, reinforcing the competition’s role in providing educational opportunities for outstanding young Nigerians.
The latest edition also saw the Foundation increase its total educational grants to N41 million, representing an 82 per cent rise from the N22.5 million awarded in the previous edition. The increase followed an expansion in the number of winners from three to five, alongside higher individual grant amounts.
The competition attracted more than 15,000 entries from senior secondary school students across Nigeria, with 20 finalists selected to compete in the final stage. Participants were required to write on the topic, “No nation can develop without food security. How can Nigeria deal with this problem?”
The topic placed food security, agricultural development and national economic sustainability at the centre of the intellectual exercise, challenging students to examine one of Nigeria’s critical development concerns and propose solutions through research and original thinking.
Unwanabasi Otobon Udom of Topfaith International Secondary School emerged first runner-up, receiving N10 million, while Flourish Chibunumoma Ndamzi of University of Port Harcourt Women Association International Secondary School came third, earning N7.5 million.
God’sfavour Ezekiel Udo of Federal Government Girls College, Ikot Obio Itong, placed fourth with N5 million, while Uchenna Olivia Anyanwu of Coral Impacts International School, Abuja, came fifth, receiving N3.5 million.
All 20 finalists also received consolation prizes, including modern laptops to support their academic assignments and research activities. In addition, each finalist’s UBA account was credited with N20,000 as a personal reward from Oliver Alawuba, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.
Speaking after receiving the top prize, Bala dedicated her achievement to her parents, acknowledging their sacrifices towards her education.
“I am so happy right now. My parents have sacrificed so much for my education, and this award belongs to them as much as it belongs to me,” she said.
She also commended the UBA Foundation for creating opportunities for young Nigerians to express their ideas and demonstrate their intellectual abilities.
“I also want to thank the UBA Foundation for believing in young people like me and giving us a platform to share our ideas,” she added.
Addressing the finalists, Alawuba described their emergence among more than 15,000 applicants as evidence of their commitment, intellectual curiosity and determination, urging them to regard their selection as an achievement in itself.
“You were selected from more than 15,000 students, and you earned this place through your hard work, your curiosity and your determination. We do this because we believe in the future of this continent, and the best investment we can make in that future is in our youth,” he said.
He said the bank’s investment in the competition extended beyond conventional corporate social responsibility, describing UBA as an institution with a broader responsibility to contribute to Africa’s long-term development through human capital investment.
“This is corporate social responsibility, but it goes beyond that. UBA is more than a bank; it is an institution that plays a great role in the future of Africa. How can we say the future is Africa if our young people are not the ones driving it?” Alawuba asked.
He explained that the increase in educational grants was partly informed by rising inflation and the growing financial burden on households seeking to provide quality education for their children.
“As inflation increases and it becomes more difficult to see a child through school, we have raised the amounts to make sure these students get to school. For us, that is important,” he said.
Beyond the financial rewards, Alawuba disclosed that the Foundation would consider introducing writing workshops for participating schools as the competition expands, with a view to improving students’ writing abilities, confidence and critical-thinking skills.
Bola Atta, managing director/chief executive officer of UBA Foundation, said the competition had continued to deliver measurable educational and developmental impact by identifying talented students and supporting their progression into higher education.
Atta, who acknowledged the contributions of parents, teachers and judges to the success of the programme, described education as the most reliable investment in Africa’s future.
“Over 16 editions, we have watched our finalists go on to excel in universities and careers across the world, and that is the impact we set out to achieve,” she said.
She disclosed that the Foundation had spent more than N3 billion on the competition over the past 16 years, noting that the decision to increase the number of beneficiaries and the value of the grants was aimed at extending access to university education and easing the financial burden on more students.
“So far we have spent over N3bn on this competition in the past 16 years and increasing the number of winners and the value of the grants means more young people can now pursue a university education without the burden of cost. We will keep strengthening the competition so that it continues to reward original thinking,” Atta said.
The 20 finalists also participated in a one-day writing boot camp facilitated by the competition’s judges, providing an opportunity to strengthen their writing techniques and engage with experienced professionals.
