Khaira Ojima Bala of Metro International School, Abuja, has been crowned as Nigeria’s top secondary school essayist for 2026, emerging as the winner of the 16th edition of the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition.
Khaira, 15, was announced as the winner during the grand finale of the competition, where she received a N15m educational grant to study at any university in Africa. The event was held on Tuesday at UBA House, Marina, Lagos, and had a large audience which included 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. “I also want to thank 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 placed second, receiving N10 million, while Flourish Chibunumoma Ndamzi of University of Port Harcourt Women Association International Secondary School came third, receiving 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, came 4th and 5th, receiving N5 million and N3.5 million, respectively.
The 20 finalists emerged from over 15,000 entries submitted by senior secondary school students across Nigeria, as they wrote on the topic: “No nation can develop without food security. How can Nigeria deal with this problem?”
They also had the opportunity to be part of a one-day writing boot camp with the judges.
This year’s grants total N41 million, an 82% increase compared to the N22.5 million grant awarded last year, following the Foundation’s expansion of the number of winners from three to five as well as an increase in the value of each award.
All the 20 finalists also received several consolation prizes, including modern laptops to aid with their homework and research work. Their UBA accounts were also funded with N20,000 each as a token of appreciation from the bank’s Group Managing Director, Oliver Alawuba.
Speaking at the event, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, told the 20 finalists that they were all winners and urged them to see their selection as proof of what hard work and curiosity can achieve.
“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,” Alawuba said. “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?”
Alawuba explained that the higher grants were a response to rising costs. “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 said.
Alawuba also noted that the Foundation would consider writing workshops for participating schools as the competition grows, to build competence, confidence and critical thinking among students.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, who thanked parents, teachers and the judges for their support, described education as the surest investment 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,” Atta said. “So far we have spent over N3bn on this competition in the past 16 years and increasing the number of winners and the value of the grants means more young people can now pursue a university education without the burden of cost. We will keep strengthening the competition so that it continues to reward original thinking.”
The UBA Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of UBA. The National Essay Competition, which began in Nigeria in 2011, now runs in other African countries where the Bank operates, alongside the Foundation’s work in education, healthcare, economic empowerment and environmental sustainability.
Nigeria’s rig count hits 100 as NUPRC approves 740 well operations
By Firdaus Jibril
Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector has recorded an increase in drilling activity, with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) approving 740 well operations and 39 Field Development Plans in the first 10 months of 2026.
The approvals comprise 595 well re-entry operations and 145 new well-drilling operations, reflecting increased regulatory activity aimed at accelerating oil and gas development and supporting production growth.
The Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lagos during a presentation at the 44th Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE).
Eyesan, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Basinal Administration, Ahmad Abdullahi, said the Commission had improved its approval timelines, reducing the delays and costs associated with projects awaiting regulatory clearance.
She said the approvals were part of efforts to ensure that regulatory processes support production targets and strengthen Nigeria’s energy security.
The NUPRC chief also disclosed that Nigeria’s total rig count had reached 100, with 46 rigs currently active in drilling operations.
According to her, the country’s rig activity has increased by more than 300 per cent compared with the level recorded in 2021.
Eyesan attributed the improvement to greater regulatory certainty, saying investors were more willing to commit capital when they had confidence in the policies and operating environment of the upstream sector.
She also linked increased investor confidence to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), particularly its impact on seismic data acquisition.
According to her, multi-client seismic companies have invested more than $100 million in acquiring seismic data in Nigeria within the three years following the enactment of the PIA.
The investments are expected to improve geological understanding of the country’s sedimentary basins and provide exploration companies with better information for identifying potential oil and gas resources.
On security, Eyesan said the Commission had introduced initiatives, including the Advanced Cargo Declaration programme and coordinated surveillance involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Tantita Security Services and the Nigerian Navy.
She said the regulator’s responsibility extended beyond punishing operators and those involved in crude oil theft, stressing the need to create conditions where legitimate oil production becomes more profitable than stealing crude.
The presentation was delivered at the NAPE conference, which is themed, “Energy Security in an Era of Global Disruption: Positioning Nigeria for Resilience, Competitiveness, and Prosperity.”
