Khaira Bala wins sixteenth UBA basis essay competitors, N15 million grant

Khaira Ojima Bala of Metro International School, Abuja, has been topped Nigeria’s high secondary faculty essayist for 2026, successful the sixteenth UBA Foundation National Essay Competition and a N15m grant to review at any college in Africa.

The 15-year-old was introduced winner on the grand finale on Tuesday at UBA House, Marina, Lagos, earlier than an viewers of finalists, mother and father, college students, academics and judges.

Dedicating the award to her mother and father, an elated Bala mentioned: “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 additionally thanked the UBA Foundation “for believing in young people like me and giving us a platform to share our ideas.”

Unwanabasi Otobon Udom of Topfaith International Secondary School positioned second with N10 million, whereas Flourish Chibunumoma Ndamzi of University of Port Harcourt Women Association International Secondary School took third with N7.5 million. God’sfavour Ezekiel Udo of Federal Government Girls College, Ikot Obio Itong, and Uchenna Olivia Anyanwu of Coral Impacts International School, Abuja, positioned fourth and fifth, receiving N5 million and N3.5 million respectively.

The 20 finalists have been drawn from over 15,000 entries by senior secondary college students nationwide, who wrote on the subject: “No nation can develop without food security. How can Nigeria deal with this problem?” They additionally attended a one-day writing boot camp with the judges.

This yr’s grants complete N41 million, an 82% improve on the N22.5 million awarded final yr, after the Foundation raised the variety of winners from three to 5 and elevated the worth of every award. Every finalist additionally acquired a laptop computer and N20,000 of their UBA account from the financial institution’s Group Managing Director, Oliver Alawuba.

Alawuba, who can also be Chief Executive Officer, instructed the finalists they have been 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 mentioned.

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.”

Explaining the larger grants, Alawuba mentioned: “As inflation increases and it becomes more difficult to see a child through school, we have raised the amounts to make sure these students get to school. For us, that is important.”

He mentioned the Foundation would additionally think about writing workshops for collaborating colleges because the competitors grows.

Managing Director/CEO of UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, thanked mother and father, academics and judges and described training because the surest funding in Africa’s future.

“Over 16 editions, we have watched our finalists go on to excel in universities and careers across the world, and that is the impact we set out to achieve,” she mentioned.