Winners emerge in NCDMB Essay Competition

Winners of the tenth Version of the NCDMB Annual Nationwide Undergraduate Essay Pageant 2026 had been on Thursday unveiled at a vibrant rite on the NCDMB Convention Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, with the Control of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) underscoring the strategic significance of youngster building and native production in selling sustainable native content material and construction a resilient economic system.

The coveted prize of N1 million, a brand-new computer and a plaque used to be gained by means of Mr Knowledge David Fabunmi, a 200-level Physiotherapy scholar of the College of Ilorin, Kwara State, who emerged as general winner, whilst the second one prize of N700,000, computer and plaque used to be gained by means of Ms. Pleasure Oghogho Enogieru, a 100-level Physician of Optometry scholar of the College of Benin, the primary runner-up. The 3rd prize of N500,000, computer and a plaque used to be gained by means of Mr. Ahmadu Kodan Yusuf, a 100-level Regulation scholar of Ahmadu Bello College, Zaria.

There have been some 5,000 entries within the Essay Pageant from 52 universities around the six geopolitical zones of the rustic, with comfort prizes going to the 4th to ninth position winners.

The contest, which the Board notes has develop into the most important platform for selling analysis, analytical pondering, efficient conversation and highbrow engagement amongst undergraduates, had this yr’s focal point on, “Selling Production for Sustainable Native Content material Construction.”

Representing the Govt Secretary of the NCDMB, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, on the Grand Finale of the Award and Prize-giving Rite, the Common Supervisor, Company Communications Department (CCD), Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, said that the contest is especially vital to the Board as it contributes to the realisation of its mandate, which centres on building of human and subject matter capability and tracking of compliance by means of avid gamers within the oil and fuel {industry}.

He defined that the Board discharges its capability construction mandate thru quite a lot of programmes akin to Direct Intervention trainings for graduates and artisans in technical and non-technical abilities in addition to project-based human capital building, which involves on-the-job trainings on are living tasks as required by means of the Nigerian Oil and Fuel Trade Content material Construction (NOGICD) Act, 2010.

Ezeobi identified that universities are establishments the place concepts must be advanced, issues tested, inventions inspired and answers created for the development of the society, therefore the Board undertook to interact scholars and inspire them to suppose significantly and write about Nigerian Content material. The information, dedication and ingenuity of youths, he famous, had been an important to the way forward for Nigerian Content material.

He stated the Annual Undergraduate Essay Pageant is hooked up to a number of different interventions the Board has for teens in upper establishments, such because the Analysis Centres of Excellence in Federal College of Generation, Owerri; Federal College of Generation, Minna; Niger Delta College, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State; College of Port Harcourt, Choba; College of Ibadan, Ibadan, and Modibbo Adama College of Generation, Yola.

He additionally indexed the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), to encourage innovation amongst engineering scholars, with the maiden version concluded in July 2026.

Different projects of the Board focused at youths come with specialized coaching programmes like Nigerian Oil and Fuel Readiness Coaching, the place 10,000 younger Nigerians are being skilled within the 10 most sensible abilities wanted within the rising new tasks being advanced by means of the {industry}, and the Catch-the-Researcher-Younger Programme (CRYP), a virtual analysis capability building initiative designed to equip undergraduate scholars with trendy era abilities, complicated analysis strategies, and industry-relevant virtual competencies.

Ezeobi famous that the focal point of this yr’s essay pageant on selling production for sustainable native content material building is meant to problem contributors to inspect how Nigeria can improve its productive capability and create higher financial price.

Production, he emphasized, is “the bedrock of sustainable native content material building,” and that the NCDMB established the Nigerian Oil and Fuel Parks Scheme (NOGaPS) “to incubate the producing of parts utilized by the oil and fuel {industry}.”

In line with him, “Additionally it is the rationale we put in force a coverage referred to as Nigerian Content material Apparatus Dedication (NCEC), which compels corporations to turn evidence that they manufacture parts and feature capability to execute key actions” sooner than they get contract alternatives within the oil and fuel {industry}.

Previous in a welcome cope with, the programme guide, Mr Eyinimi Omorozi, Leader Govt Officer of Mahogany twenty first Century Ideas Restricted, stated the Award and Prize-giving Rite used to be a party of “a decade of funding in concepts by means of the NCDMB.” He expressed delight with the output of the contributors within the pageant, mentioning, “From the essays of those younger women and men, you’ll be able to simply inform that the longer term may be very shiny.”

In regard to the sponsors, he declared, “NCDMB is not only construction amenities and tracking compliance, it’s also construction minds.”

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the instance, Professor Promise Mebine, Vice Chancellor, Federal College, Otuoke, congratulated the NCDMB on its a hit internet hosting and sponsorship of the contest and for staying trustworthy to the imaginative and prescient.

“12 months after yr, you have got confirmed that construction Nigerian Content material is not just about pipelines and platforms, however about construction other folks, in particular our youths, the leaders of the following day,” he said.

To the winners, his phrase used to be, “Your prize as of late is hard-earned, however the true prize isn’t the cheque or the plaque. The true prize is that NCDMB has now opened a door for you. Stroll thru it!” To the opposite contestants, he stated, “you aren’t losers; each essay you submitted is a seed. You’ve got skilled your thoughts to suppose. You’ve got skilled your hand to write down. Stay writing; stay researching; stay believing in Nigeria; Subsequent yr, the rostrum is also yours.”

In a goodwill message, the Director, Tracking and Analysis Directorate (MED) Mr. Esueme Dan Kikile, Esq. recommended the Govt Secretary, the Company Communications Department and the programme guide for the entire effort towards sustenance of the contest, which he famous has been immensely really helpful to the Board and contributors.