NEMA Announces N500,000 Cash Prize National Essay Competition

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has opened a call for submissions for its 2026 National Essay Competition, with a N500,000 cash prize.

The essay, which targets secondary school students, undergraduate students, and the Emergency Management Vanguards (EMV) of the National Youth Corps Members, aims to give young Nigerians not only the opportunity to gain national recognition but also to showcase their ideas and contribute meaningfully to disaster preparedness efforts in Nigeria.

It also aims to promote awareness, critical thinking, and youth engagement in disaster risk reduction across Nigeria.

Participants at the secondary level will write essays that address “My Role In Disaster Risk Reduction”; those in tertiary institutions will focus their essays on “Climate Change and Disaster Management In Nigeria”; while NYSC-EMV essayists will address the topic of “Technology for Disaster Response: Opportunities and Challenges”.

Winners across the three categories will receive a N500,000 cash prize, whilst the first and second runners-up will receive N300,000 and N200,000, respectively.

To participate, participants must submit an essay in the relevant category – 500 words for secondary school students and 1000 words for tertiary and NYSC EMVs – to [email protected] on or before April 15, 2026.

The essays must be typed in Times Roman font on 12-point size, and bear the author’s name and category of submission. Certificates will also be awarded to the top ten participants.