Secondary school trainees nationwide are set to contend for a total reward swimming pool of 1.7 million following the announcement of the 2026 edition of the Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition.
The yearly contest, which draws participation from both junior and senior secondary school students across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Area, has officially opened for submissions, organisers confirmed in a declaration launched by the Corporate Affairs Department of The Redeemed Evangelical Objective.
Signed by Anthony Samuel, the statement suggested that entries for this year’s competition will be accepted from March 16 through June 30, 2026, continuing a tradition that has actually spanned over 20 years.
Established in 2004 by Mike Okonkwo, Presiding Bishop of TREM, the competition was conceived as part of a wider effort to promote intellectual development amongst Nigerian youths. Over the years, it has developed into among the country’s most acknowledged essay platforms for secondary school trainees, with a focus on strengthening composing proficiency, analytical thinking, and civic awareness.
Organisers disclosed that more than 20,000 students have actually participated in the competition given that its beginning, with entries typically addressing modern nationwide concerns varying from governance and education to social values and national development. The effort is also closely tied to Okonkwo’s annual birthday activities, acting as a business social duty project focused on empowering young Nigerians through education.
For the 2026 edition, the overall winner will get 800,000, together 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 nurturing academic quality.
The first runner-up will be granted 500,000, a laptop computer, and a plaque, while the 2nd runner-up will get 400,000, a laptop computer, and a plaque. Schools of the second- and third-placed students will likewise get desktop computers.
Individuals are required to submit essays of no more than 1,200 words, accompanied by personal and school information, consisting of contact information and the name of their school principal. Submissions are to be sent digitally by means of the designated email address, while hard copies might likewise be provided to the TREM International Head Office in Gbagada, Lagos.
Over the years, the competitors has produced several impressive winners who have actually gone on to distinguish themselves academically. Past champs have actually emerged from both public and personal secondary schools throughout the nation, showing the competition’s across the country reach. In previous editions, winners have included students who demonstrated exceptional insight into national obstacles, offering services on issues such as youth joblessness, corruption, and instructional reform.
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Education stakeholders have actually consistently praised the effort for sustaining interest in writing and crucial thinking at a time when digital interruptions are progressively shaping trainees’ engagement with learning. The competitors has likewise been noted for its role in determining and rewarding skill beyond standard class evaluation.
Observers say the addition of school-based rewards, such as desktop computers, has assisted extend the effect of the competition beyond private participants, supporting finding out environments and encouraging institutional involvement.
As entries open for the 2026 edition, organisers revealed optimism that this year’s competitors will attract another strong swimming pool of submissions, continuing its legacy of supplying a platform for young Nigerians to articulate ideas and engage with issues shaping the country’s future.
The Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition remains one of the longest-running independently moneyed academic contests in Nigeria, highlighting the growing function of non-governmental efforts in supporting educational advancement and youth engagement across the country.