NEMA Gives N3m Cash Prizes To Winners Of Disaster Essay Competition

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has given N3 million in cash prizes to nine winners of its 2026 National Essay Competition on disaster management.

The winners, drawn from senior secondary schools, tertiary institutions and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Emergency Management Vanguards, emerged from entries submitted by young Nigerians across the country.

During the unveiling and recognition at the NEMA Headquarters in Abuja yesterday, its director-general, Mrs Zubaida Umar, said the competition was organised to strengthen disaster awareness, emergency preparedness and resilience among young Nigerians.

She said the large volume of entries extended the assessment period, stressing that the agency prioritised credibility, fairness and transparency over speed.

According to her, every eligible entry passed through an assessment, validation and corroboration process before the final winners were determined.

The nine cash-prize winners received ₦500,000 each for first place, ₦300,000 each for second place and ₦200,000 each for third place across the three categories.

The breakdown is as follows: Senior Secondary School Category — ₦1 million: Orire Fareedah Omolola of Murphy-Tonia Schools, Lagos, won first place and ₦500,000; Onyinye Olive of Faith Academy, Goshen, Abuja, came second with ₦300,000; while Isah Zainab Ise of Government Secondary School, Gwarinpa, Abuja, placed third with ₦200,000. University/Tertiary Institution Category — ₦1 million: Adelanwa Emmanuel Oluwatosin of the University of Ibadan won first place and ₦500,000; Memunat Olawore Omobolanle of the Nigeria Law School, Lagos Campus, came second with ₦300,000; while Aminu Ibrahim Bello of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, took third place with ₦200,000.

NYSC Emergency Management Vanguards Category — ₦1 million: Dabagal Marylyn Mialmoen emerged first and received ₦500,000; Abiola Olamide Zion came second with ₦300,000; while Stanley Sunday Iserhienrhien placed third and received ₦200,000.

The competition featured three topics addressing key aspects of disaster risk reduction.

Senior secondary school students wrote on “My Role in Disaster Risk Reduction,” tertiary institution participants considered “Climate Change and Disaster Management in Nigeria,” while NYSC Emergency Management Vanguards examined “Technology for Disaster Response: Opportunities and Challenges.”

Umar also disclosed that 21 other finalists were recognised across the three categories, bringing the total number of recognised finalists to 30.

She congratulated all participants, saying the value of the competition went beyond the cash prizes, as young Nigerians who researched disaster risk reduction, climate change and technology for emergency response had been better equipped to contribute to a safer country.

The NEMA boss said the agency was working towards making emergency management a culture rather than an activity undertaken only when disasters occur.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the competition consultant, Hakeem Bello commended the internal assessment panel, oversight committee and independent lead assessor for ensuring the credibility of the process.

Bello urged the winners and other participants to become ambassadors of preparedness by sharing credible early-warning information, challenging unsafe practices and promoting disaster awareness in their schools, communities and neighbourhoods.

He said, “Disaster Risk Reduction cannot be NEMA’s responsibility alone,” stressing that building a safer Nigeria required informed citizens and sustained partnerships.

He urged the awardees to turn the ideas contained in their essays into practical action, describing the competition as a pathway from “essays to awareness, from awareness to action, and from action to safer and more resilient communities across Nigeria.”

NEMA said the Abuja-based awardees were being formally recognised at Thursday’s ceremony, while other winners and finalists outside Abuja and its environs would collect their prizes and certificates through NEMA zonal offices nearest to their locations.