The Ekiti State at 30 Anniversary Planning Committee has announced a youth essay competition as part of activities marking the 30th anniversary of the creation of Ekiti State.
The competition, titled “Ekiti at 30: My Dream and Agenda for the Next Thirty Years,” is designed to give young Ekiti indigenes an opportunity to share ideas and propose practical solutions for the development of the state up to 2056.
The competition is open to Ekiti indigenes aged between 18 and 35, regardless of whether they currently reside within or outside the state.
The committee said participants are expected to develop original ideas around key areas including agriculture and food security, education and human capital development, technology and innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.
Other areas include arts, culture and tourism, infrastructure and urban development, healthcare and social protection, governance and civic responsibility, as well as environmental sustainability.
According to the committee, the initiative is aimed at moving beyond merely identifying Ekiti’s challenges by encouraging young people to develop practical, measurable and implementable solutions for the state’s long-term development.
It added that preference would be given to essays that clearly connect their vision with implementation by explaining what needs to be done, who should take responsibility, possible funding sources and the expected results.
N1.5m top prize, laptops for winnersThe competition offers attractive cash prizes and other rewards to the top participants.
The prizes are:- First Prize: N1.5 million, a laptop computer and certificate- Second Prize: N1 million, a laptop computer and certificate- Third Prize: N750,000, a laptop computer and certificate- Seven other finalists: N100,000 each and a certificate of distinction
The winners will be announced and presented with their prizes at the Ekiti at 30 Future Summit, scheduled to hold on October 7, 2026, in Ado-Ekiti.
The committee said the competition would also provide an avenue to identify young writers, thinkers and policy innovators whose ideas could contribute to Ekiti’s long-term development agenda.
It disclosed that the top 10 essays would be edited and published in a commemorative publication.The finalists will also be invited to an Ekiti Youth Futures Forum scheduled for December.
Furthermore, the committee said the strongest proposals from the competition would be compiled and presented to the Ekiti State Government as a proposed “Youth Agenda for Ekiti 2056.”How to participateInterested participants are required to submit their entries online through the state government’s website.
The committee said entries would be accepted from September 11 to September 28, 2026.Eligible young Ekiti indigenes are encouraged to visit www.ekitistate.gov.ng/essay to submit their essays before the deadline.
