UBA Foundation National Essay Competition 2025 — Apply Now (Senior Secondary Students)
Overview
The UBA Foundation National Essay Competition (NEC) 2025 invites senior secondary school students across Nigeria to submit handwritten essays responding to the theme: “Nigeria is characterised by diverse cultures, ethnicities, and religions. How can young Nigerians deploy diversity to build a united nation?” Top winners earn transformational educational grants to study at any African university.
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Who is this for?
Applicants applying for competitive funding, study visas, academic programs, research grants, or professional proposals needing expert-level positioning.
UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa Plc — a leading pan-African bank — runs the NEC to promote reading, critical thinking, and healthy intellectual competition among Nigerian youth.
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a Nigerian senior secondary school student.
- Complete the official online application form.
- Upload a handwritten essay (maximum 750 words) — scanned or photographed clearly.
- Upload a recent passport photograph.
- Upload a scanned copy of Birth Certificate, National ID, or International Passport.
- Ensure your full name is written on the handwritten essay before uploading.
Benefits / Prizes
- Winner: ₦10,000,000 educational grant to any African university.
- 1st Runner-up: ₦7,500,000 educational grant to any African university.
- 2nd Runner-up: ₦5,000,000 educational grant to any African university.
- 12 finalists invited to a final physical round at UBA Head Office, Lagos.
Application Deadline
24th October, 2025
How to Apply
Complete the official application via UBA Foundation’s NEC page and upload the required documents (handwritten essay, passport photo, ID). Incomplete or duplicate submissions will be disqualified. Title each uploaded file using your full name and document name (e.g., John Doe – Passport Photograph).
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Who can apply?
Eligible candidates are senior secondary school students in Nigeria. Ensure you meet document and submission rules.Is the essay typed?
No — the NEC requires a handwritten essay (scan or clear photo). Typed essays will be disqualified.How are finalists selected?
Entries are reviewed by a distinguished panel of academics; 12 finalists proceed to a final in-person round in Lagos.Winning Essay Example
I am a young Nigerian, raised between languages and festivals — Igbo Christmas parades at my aunt’s house, Hausa New Year songs in my uncle’s neighborhood, and Yoruba storytelling evenings with my grandparents. From an early age I saw that our diversity was not a barrier but a living library of ideas, values and resilience. This understanding has shaped my belief that young Nigerians, equipped with empathy and intention, can turn diversity into our strongest foundation for unity. First, we must reframe diversity as shared wealth. Instead of treating cultural differences as reasons to compete, we should document and celebrate them in schools and communities. Imagine a school program where students teach each other traditional practices, languages, and conflict-resolution stories from their regions. When young people exchange culture as knowledge, they gain respect and curiosity — the exact antidote to suspicion. Second, young Nigerians should lead community projects that combine local strengths. For instance, a youth agricultural cooperative that blends farming methods from different regions can increase productivity and foster mutual dependency. Collaborative projects teach teamwork across cultural lines and deliver immediate benefits. When success is shared, trust follows. Third, we need civic education that grounds patriotism in shared civic responsibility rather than ethnic pride. Young leaders can run workshops explaining how public services work and how every citizen can contribute. When teenagers understand how budgets, local councils and elections affect their schools and communities, they are more likely to advocate together for improvements — crossing differences to achieve common goals. Fourth, digital storytelling must be wielded thoughtfully. Our generation uses social media not just to entertain but to shape narratives. We can create platforms for positive, cross-cultural storytelling — short films, podcasts and collaborative online festivals that highlight the everyday lives of Nigerians across regions. These narratives humanize ‘the other’ and counteract misinformation that often fuels division. Finally, institutional support is vital: schools, businesses and civic groups should mentor youth-led intercultural initiatives and offer micro-grants for projects that promote unity. When institutions back young changemakers, it signals that the nation values collaboration across identities. In my community, I started a reading club where students from different backgrounds exchanged stories and cooked one traditional meal per meeting. It began as a small idea but soon attracted support from parents and a local library. The result was not only new friendships but a neighborhood clean-up campaign we organized together — an achievement that proved how diversity amplifies collective action. To build a united Nigeria, young people must transform diversity into practice. Through education, shared projects, civic engagement, storytelling and institutional support, we can weave our many cultures into a strong national fabric. The future belongs to those who turn difference into collaboration; I am ready to lead with my voice, my hands, and my commitment.
Motivation Letter
Dear Selection Committee, I am writing to submit my entry for the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition 2025. As a senior secondary student, I am deeply interested in how our nation’s diversity can be harnessed to strengthen unity and drive development. Growing up in a multicultural household, I learned early that differing perspectives are opportunities for growth when met with curiosity and respect. This competition aligns with my academic interests in civic engagement and community development. I have organized peer reading sessions and local service initiatives that brought young people from different backgrounds together. These experiences taught me leadership, project planning and the power of shared purpose. If selected, I will use the platform and any support received to scale youth-led programs that promote cross-cultural dialogue and civic literacy in schools. I am committed to documenting outcomes, sharing learnings, and mentoring other students to launch similar projects. Thank you for considering my application. I would be honored to represent my community and contribute to the UBA Foundation’s mission of fostering a culture of reading and intellectual exchange among Nigeria’s youth. Sincerely, [Your Full Name] Senior Secondary Student
🪶 Recommendation Letter
To the UBA Foundation Selection Committee,
I am pleased to recommend [Student Name] for the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition 2025. As [his/her/their] Social Studies teacher for the past two years at [School Name], I have observed a consistent dedication to academic excellence and civic inquiry.
[Student Name] demonstrates exceptional critical thinking and a mature understanding of social issues. [He/She/They] led a cross-cultural reading club that encouraged open dialogue and community service, showing the initiative and organizational skills crucial for this competition. [His/Her/Their] writing is reflective, persuasive and grounded in practical plans — qualities that will serve [him/her/them] well in the final stage.
I confidently endorse [Student Name] for this opportunity and believe [he/she/they] will contribute meaningfully to conversations about unity and diversity in Nigeria.
Sincerely, [Referee Name] [Position, School Name]
Quick Submission Checklist
- ✔ Handwritten essay (≤ 750 words) — photo/scan legible, full name on the page.
- ✔ Recent passport photograph (clear headshot).
- ✔ Birth certificate, National ID, or International Passport (scanned).
- ✔ Completed online application form on the UBA NEC page.
- ✔ Ensure file names follow the format: Full Name – Document Name.
Written by Jane Emmanuel
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