Secondary school students across the country are set to compete for an overall prize pool of 1.7 million following the announcement of the 2026 edition of the Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competitors.
The annual contest, which draws participation from both junior and senior secondary school trainees across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, has actually officially opened for submissions, organisers verified in a statement launched by the Corporate Affairs Department of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission.
Signed by Anthony Samuel, the statement suggested that entries for this year’s competitors will be accepted from March 16 through June 30, 2026, continuing a custom that has actually spanned over twenty years.
Developed in 2004 by Mike Okonkwo, Presiding Bishop of TREM, the competitors was conceived as part of a more comprehensive effort to promote intellectual development among Nigerian youths. Over the years, it has actually evolved into one of the nation’s most acknowledged essay platforms for secondary school students, with a focus on strengthening composing efficiency, analytical thinking, and civic awareness.
Organisers revealed that more than 20,000 trainees have actually taken part in the competitors considering that its inception, with entries frequently resolving contemporary national issues ranging from governance and education to social values and national advancement. The effort is likewise carefully tied to Okonkwo’s annual birthday activities, working as a business social obligation project aimed at empowering young Nigerians through education.
For the 2026 edition, the general winner will receive 800,000, along with a laptop and a celebratory plaque. In addition, the trainee’s school will exist with a home computer and a plaque in recognition of its function in supporting academic excellence.
The very first runner-up will be awarded 500,000, a laptop computer, and a plaque, while the 2nd runner-up will get 400,000, a laptop, and a plaque. Schools of the second- and third-placed students will also receive desktop.
Participants are needed to submit essays of no greater than 1,200 words, accompanied by personal and school information, consisting of contact info and the name of their school principal. Submissions are to be sent electronically via the designated e-mail address, while paper copies might likewise be provided to the TREM International Headquarters in Gbagada, Lagos.
Throughout the years, the competitors has produced a number of impressive winners who have actually gone on to identify themselves academically. Past champions have emerged from both public and private secondary schools across the nation, showing the competition’s across the country reach. In previous editions, winners have consisted of trainees who demonstrated extraordinary insight into nationwide challenges, providing solutions on issues such as youth unemployment, corruption, and educational reform.
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Education stakeholders have actually regularly praised the effort for sustaining interest in writing and vital believing at a time when digital distractions are significantly shaping trainees’ engagement with learning. The competitors has actually also been noted for its role in determining and rewarding talent beyond conventional classroom assessment.
Observers say the addition of school-based benefits, such as home computer, has assisted extend the effect of the competition beyond specific participants, supporting finding out environments and motivating institutional involvement.
As entries open for the 2026 edition, organisers expressed optimism that this year’s competitors will bring in another strong swimming pool of submissions, continuing its tradition of offering a platform for young Nigerians to articulate concepts and engage with problems shaping the country’s future.
The Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competitors remains one of the longest-running privately funded academic contests in Nigeria, highlighting the growing function of non-governmental initiatives in supporting academic advancement and youth engagement throughout the nation.