By Annette Ikponmwonba | November 11th, 2026
Key Points
· Khaira Ojima Bala, 15, of Metro International School, Abuja, has won the 16th UBA Foundation National Essay Competition
· She received a N15m educational grant to study at any university in Africa
· The grand finale was held on Tuesday at UBA House, Marina, Lagos
· Unwanabasi Otobon Udom took second place with N10m, and Flourish Chibunumoma Ndamzi came third with N7.5m
· The 20 finalists emerged from over 15,000 entries, writing on food security
· This year’s grants total N41m, an 82 per cent increase over last year’s N22.5m
Main Story
Khaira Ojima Bala of Metro International School, Abuja, has been crowned Nigeria’s top secondary school essayist for 2026, winning the 16th edition of the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition. The 15-year-old was announced winner at the grand finale held on Tuesday at UBA House, Marina, Lagos, where she received a N15m educational grant to study at any university in Africa. The event drew finalists, parents, students, teachers and judges.
An elated Bala dedicated the award to her parents. “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 thanked the UBA Foundation for believing in young people and giving them a platform to share their ideas.
Unwanabasi Otobon Udom of Topfaith International Secondary School placed second and received N10m, while Flourish Chibunumoma Ndamzi of University of Port Harcourt Women Association International Secondary School came third with N7.5m. God’sfavour Ezekiel Udo of Federal Government Girls College, Ikot Obio Itong, and Uchenna Olivia Anyanwu of Coral Impacts International School, Abuja, placed fourth and fifth, receiving N5m and N3.5m respectively.
The Issues
The competition’s topic, “No nation can develop without food security. How can Nigeria deal with this problem?”, put a pressing national concern in the hands of young writers at a time when food prices and supply remain a major worry for households. The 20 finalists were drawn from over 15,000 entries submitted by senior secondary students nationwide, and they also took part in a one-day writing boot camp with the judges.
The foundation has also raised the stakes. Total grants this year come to N41m, up 82 per cent from N22.5m last year, after the number of winners was expanded from three to five and the value of each award increased. That reflects growing corporate investment in education and youth development, though the competition still reaches only a small fraction of Nigeria’s secondary school population, The report does not include excerpts of the winning essay or the judges’ reasons for their choice, so the specific ideas on food security remain unclear.
What’s Being Said
UBA Group Managing Director and CEO Oliver Alawuba told the finalists they were all winners. “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 added: “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?, All 20 finalists received consolation prizes, including modern laptops, and had their UBA accounts funded with N20,000 each as a token of appreciation from Alawuba.
What’s Next
Bala is expected to use her N15m grant for university studies anywhere in Africa. Attention will turn to the 17th edition, where the expanded award structure is likely to attract an even larger pool of entries, The winning essays and the ideas on tackling food insecurity may also draw wider interest if the foundation publishes them.
Bottom Line
Fifteen-year-old Khaira Bala’s win, backed by a bigger N41m prize pool, highlights UBA’s push to invest in young Nigerians, while her essay on food security speaks to one of the country’s most urgent challenges.
