UBA Foundation Increases Prizes for 2024 National Essay Competition, Invites Entries

The UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa Plc, has announced an enhancement in the prize awards for the 2024 National Essay Competition, with entries now open for submissions. This marks the 14th edition of the annual competition, aimed at fostering literacy and advancing intellectual growth among senior secondary school students in Nigeria and across Africa.

Speaking on the prize increment, Bola Atta, Chief Executive Officer of UBA Foundation, reiterated the organization's dedication to educational development, especially in light of the current global economic challenges. “We recognize the difficulties that families are encountering, particularly due to Nigeria’s present economic situation. By increasing the first-place prize to N7.5 million, and offering N5 million and N3.5 million for the second and third places respectively, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing education for African youth,” Atta stated.

The increased prize allocation, according to Atta, reflects the Foundation’s awareness of the rising costs of quality education and its desire to support outstanding students in achieving their academic goals without financial hindrance.

For the 2024 edition, participants are tasked with writing on the topic, “Discuss the Impact of Carbon Emission on Climate in Nigeria: Challenges and Solutions.” Students are required to research extensively, write, and scan their handwritten essays for submission through the designated digital platform by November 8, 2024.

The competition will feature a regional phase across four locations in Nigeria—Abuja, Enugu, Lagos, and Port Harcourt—where the top 75 essays will each receive a cash award of N75,000. These selected participants will compete for a chance to be among the 20 finalists.

The finalists will subsequently write a second essay, from which the top three winners will emerge. The 20 finalists will be rewarded with brand-new laptops and educational materials to aid their studies, while teachers from the school with the highest number of entries will also be recognized for their efforts.

Bola Atta assured that judges comprising English professors from reputable Nigerian universities will ensure transparency and fairness throughout the competition stages.

Atta further highlighted the competition's alignment with the UBA Foundation’s broader educational initiatives across Africa. “The National Essay Competition is a testament to our commitment to nurturing the next generation of African leaders and thinkers,” she said, citing the Foundation’s 'Read Africa' program, which has provided hundreds of thousands of books to students across the continent.

She concluded, “Through initiatives like the National Essay Competition and ‘Read Africa,’ we are not just promoting literacy but investing in the intellectual capital that will shape Africa's future.”