UBA Foundation Increases National Essay Competition Grant to N22.5 Million, First Prize Hits N10 Million

The UBA Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has announced a significant increase in the educational grants for the winners of its 2025 annual National Essay Competition (NEC). The total educational grants for the top three winners now exceed N22.5 million, available for their studies at any African university of their choice. 

The first-prize winner will receive a substantial N10 million university grant, marking a 33% increase from the N7.5 million awarded in 2024. The second and third-place winners will also see their prizes boosted, receiving N7.5 million and N5 million educational grants, respectively, up from N5 million and N3.5 million last year.

Beyond the cash grants, the 12 best essay writers will be rewarded with brand-new laptops and other educational tools essential for their tertiary research and studies.

The NEC is a core part of the UBA Foundation’s education initiative, designed to promote literacy and encourage healthy intellectual competition among senior secondary school students across Nigeria and Africa.

This year's essay topic challenges students to reflect on national unity: “Nigeria is characterised by diverse cultures, ethnicities, and religions. How can young Nigerians deploy diversity to build a united nation?”

The Managing Director/CEO of the UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, emphasized the foundation's commitment to the initiative.

 “The deliberate and significant increase in the value of these educational grants underscores our dedication to investing in academic excellence and alleviating the financial burden of higher education for Nigerian students and their families," she explained. "We are confident that this will further inspire a culture of academic achievement and critical thinking."

To be eligible for the competition, participants must be Nigerian students currently in senior secondary school.

Required submission materials include:

 Scanned copies of the handwritten essay (maximum of 750 words).

A recent passport photograph.

 A copy of their birth certificate, National ID, or international passport.

The deadline for submitting entries is Friday, October 17th, 2025. Submissions must be made via the dedicated portal on the UBA Foundation’s official website: [ubagroup.com/uba-foundation/national-essay-competition/](https://ubagroup.com/uba-foundation/national-essay-competition/).

UBA Foundation focuses its CSR activities on development-driven interventions in the areas of Education, Environment, and Economic Empowerment.