The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Foundation has awarded a N15 million scholarship to Khaira Bala, a 15-year-old student at Metro International School in Abuja, for her first-place victory in the 2026 National Essay Competition. This announcement was made during a ceremony held at the UBA headquarters in Lagos.
Alongside Bala, four other finalists were recognized with significant scholarship awards aimed at supporting their higher education. Unwanabasi Udom from Topfaith International Secondary School in Mkpatak secured the second place, earning a scholarship of N10 million. Flourish Ndamzi from the University of Port Harcourt Women Association International Secondary School received N7.5 million for her third-place finish. God’sFavour Udo of Federal Government Girls’ College and Uchenna Anyanwu from Coral Impacts International School were awarded N5 million and N3.5 million, respectively, for their fourth and fifth places.
The competition witnessed an impressive participation, with approximately 15,000 entries narrowing down to 20 finalists. All five winners are female and will also receive laptops and an educational trip as part of their award package.
In an expression of her achievement, Bala conveyed her excitement about winning, noting that her parents encouraged her participation. This year’s competition prompted essay submissions on two primary topics, including a final analysis on how poverty and social issues contribute to child marriage in Nigeria.
Bola Attah, CEO of the UBA Foundation, mentioned the growth in the number of finalists from previous competitions, reflecting the increasing quality of submissions. She also explained that five awards were given this year, up from three, to further benefit students.
In addition to the primary awards, 15 additional finalists will receive consolation prizes and opportunities for mentorship. The competition aims to expand beyond Nigeria, with plans to include other African countries where UBA operates, transforming it into a continent-wide initiative.
The assessment of essays was conducted by a panel of four English professors, who emphasized the need for better understanding of essay writing among students. They noted that a notable percentage of submissions exhibited characteristics of artificial intelligence-generated content, leading to recommendations for improved evaluation measures in future competitions.
