Secondary school students across Nigeria are invited to participate in the 2026 edition of the Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition, with cash prizes exceeding N1.7 million for outstanding entries.
This is contained in statement signed by Rev. Anthony Samuel on behalf of the Corporate Affairs Department of TREM International Headquarters, Lagos.
The annual contest, open to both junior and senior secondary school students in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, commenced on March 16 and would close on June 30, 2026.
The statement said the competition, which has run for more than two decades, is designed to promote critical thinking, strengthen writing skills, and encourage engagement with contemporary national issues.
“The competition offers a star prize of N800,000, alongside other rewards.
”The overall winner will receive N800,000, a laptop, and a plaque, while the winner’s school will be awarded a desktop computer and a plaque.
”First and second runners-up will receive N500,000 and N400,000 respectively, along with laptops and school awards, ” the statement said.
Participants are required to submit essays of no more than 1,200 words, along with personal and school details, including the full name, class, age, contact information, and the name and contact of their school principal.
Entries may be submitted via email or delivered in hard copy to the organisers’ Lagos office.
Established in 2004, the competition has attracted over 20,000 participants and serves as a platform for intellectual discourse among secondary school students nationwide.
The initiative is part of the corporate social responsibility efforts of Bishop Mike Okonkwo, Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), held annually in commemoration of his birthday.
The statement emphasised that the programme aims to develop good writing skills, foster critical thinking, and encourage engagement with trending national issues through academic narratives.
Bishop Okonkwo, a prominent cleric with over three decades of ministry, leads a global religious organisation with more than 180 branches in Nigeria and abroad.
He is also involved in humanitarian initiatives through the Empowerment for the Less Privileged Foundation, which provides scholarships, vocational training, and healthcare support to vulnerable groups.
The competition continues to serve as a key avenue for nurturing young talent and amplifying student voices on issues of national development.
