Amanze Chinonye
A historic feat was recorded in Lagos on Tuesday as 13-year-old Ebunoluwa Seth Oluwatimilehin, a student of Igando Community Senior High School, emerged winner of the 15th UBA Foundation National Essay Competition (NEC), becoming the youngest champion in the competition’s history.
Ebunoluwa, an SS2 student and the first male winner in more than eight years, clinched the grand prize of a ₦10 million educational grant to fund his tertiary education in any African university of his choice.
Expressing his excitement, he said the experience had strengthened his confidence and passion for writing. “I am incredibly grateful and overwhelmed. This competition has shown me that passion and hard work truly pay off. It has been an amazing journey that has deepened my love for writing and expressing my ideas.”
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe second-place prize of ₦7.5 million went to Njoku-Kelechi Emerald of Christian International High School, Owerri, while third-place winner, Bayero Fatima Auwal of Cornerstone Montessori Schools, Abuja, received an educational grant of ₦5 million.
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All 12 finalists were also awarded brand-new laptops and other educational materials to support their academic pursuits.
The 2025 edition recorded thousands of entries, with organisers noting a significant increase in participation from rural communities across the country.
UBA Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, commended the young finalists and highlighted the competition’s wider impact on literacy and social values. He emphasised UBA’s commitment to diversity, saying, “Nobody in UBA will ever be judged based on ethnicity, religion, or culture… If you get diversity right in Africa, you have gotten the whole world right.”
He applauded the students for reflecting these ideals in their essays, noting that their work underscored the importance of unity and collective progress.
The Managing Director/CEO of UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, described the 15-year journey of the NEC as a testament to the bank’s sustained commitment to education and youth empowerment.
“For 15 years, this initiative has been a cornerstone of our commitment to giving back and empowering the youth… Education remains the most powerful tool to lift our continent,” she said, adding that the programme continues to expand across Africa.
The UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the UBA Group, runs initiatives in education, health, economic empowerment and environmental sustainability across the continent, supporting underprivileged communities and young Africans through scholarships and development programmes.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
