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UBA Foundation Calls for Entries from SSS Students for National Essay Competition
Students in secondary schools across the country have been invited to submit entries in the 2013 UBA Foundation National Essay Competition.
The essay competition for secondary students is organized by UBA Foundation; the corporate social responsibility arm of UBA to encourage healthy and intellectual competition among secondary school students in Nigeria.
Ijeoma Aso, managing director/CEO, UBA Foundation, announced the call for entries at a press conference held on Thursday at the bank’s head office in Lagos. She said that all senior secondary schools students across the country are eligible to participate in the competition.
“The 3 best essayists are selected as the overall winners from 12 finalists that will emerge from the first round of the competition. The first, second and third prize winners will receive N1,000,000.00, N750,000.00 and N500,000.00 in educational grants respectively” she stated.
The national essay competition which is in its third consecutive year, has witnessed increased participation from students since it was first launched in 2011. According to her there were more than 2000 entries from all over the country in 2012 representing a 300 per cent increase from the previous year.
“The Essay competition is meant to complement UBA Foundation’s ‘Read Africa Initiative’ which is also part of the Foundation’s efforts in arresting the falling standard of education on the continent. This year we expect to receive more than 4000 entries for the competition. We encourage all senior secondary students across the country to send an entry with the next six weeks when the competition will be open. Entries close by November 1, 2013 and no late entry will be accepted” she explained.
To participate in the competition, eligible senior secondary students are expected to send in handwritten entries on the topic ‘How Reading has Impacted my Knowledge’ to the UBA Foundation’s office in Lagos.
At the end of October, 2013 when entries close, four renowned Nigerian Professors will review the entries and select an initial shortlist of 12 for further assessment until the overall 3 best candidates emerge.
Mr. Charles Aigbe, divisional head, Marketing and Corporate Relations, UBA Plc, said the essay competition falls within the four focus areas of the Foundation; Education, Economic Empowerment, Environment and Special Project. According to him, the Bank’s CSR projects are geared toward promoting sustainable development in communities where UBA operates across Africa.
“The competition is a key aspect of our investment drive in human capital and we will continue to sustain the exercise. Education is very strategic to us as an institution. Each year, we also donate books to students in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, under the ‘Read Africa’ initiative to encourage and promote the reading culture in secondary schools,” he stated.
Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, representative of the judges’ panel and Head of Department, Mass Communication, University of Lagos, noted that the Essay competition demonstrates UBA Plc’s commitment to development of Nigeria’s educational sector.
He revealed that the students would be judged on content, organization and mechanical accuracy and urged the students to address the topic of the essay, instead of writing on other subject matters.
“The marking process is a comprehensive and rigorous process that reflects transparency. We are as careful as we are painstaking in our collective assessment of the candidates” he said.
As a the CSR platform for the UBA Group, UBA Foundation embodies the Group’s CSR objectives and seeks to impact positively on the society through a number of laudable projects and initiatives..
Google and UpSkill Universe, Sub-Saharan Africa’s leading AI and business skills training partner, have announced a major redesign of the Google Hustle Academy programme.
For the first time, the free training initiative is open to everyone, not just business owners. The new curriculum is focused on equipping individuals and entrepreneurs with practical AI skills.
Small businesses are the engine of Africa’s economy, creating over 80% of jobs on the continent. To help them grow, the Hustle Academy was launched in 2022, providing bootcamp-style training on business strategy, digital skills, AI, and leadership. The program has since trained over 18,000 SMEs, with many reporting increased revenue and job creation.
Now, as AI reshapes the job market, the program is evolving. The 2026 edition is built for anyone in Sub-Saharan Africa, including employees, students, and jobseekers, who wants to use AI to advance their career.
To meet the needs of a diverse audience, the new format includes short, 60-minute webinars and more immersive, high-impact bootcamps. These sessions are laser-focused on putting AI to work immediately in areas like digital commerce, marketing, and growth strategy.
Speaking about the academy, Gori Yahaya, Founder & CEO UpSkill Universe said “The 2026 Hustle Academy is designed to close the AI Skills gap with hands-on training that is short, focused, and immediately useful. AI is reshaping how businesses win and how careers are built, right across this continent.
“We’re excited to renew our partnership, now in its fifth year with Google, combining their global AI leadership with our deep regional AI expertise. The next wave of AI leaders will come from this continent. We are making sure they are ready.”
The Hustle Academy initiative has strengthened digital competitiveness across emerging African economies by enabling SMEs to move beyond AI awareness to practical implementation, positioning them for sustained growth in an increasingly AI-driven business environment.
“We believe that the future of Africa’s digital economy lies in the hands of individuals and entrepreneurs alike. Our new strategy focuses on scaling reach by training individuals in the latest AI-centered tools and techniques,” said a Google representative.
Lagos State has dragged 45 individuals and firms, including Bi-Courtney Aviation, DAAR Communications and Leaders & Company, to revenue court for tax debts running into billions of naira.
Lagos Govt
Bi-Courtney, operators of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two, faces N38.7 million claim; DAAR, behind Africa Independent Television, owes N22.4 million; ThisDay publishers Leaders & Company allegedly skip N67.1 million.
GMT Energy Resources tops corporates at N145.8 million, followed by Sheriff Deputies at N132.1 million; others like Heyden Petroleum, AA Rescue, BRT operator Primero also listed.
Individuals owe N13.5 million to N35 million each.
Attorney-General Lawal Pedro said suits followed ignored notices, aiming to enforce laws and fund infrastructure.
More defendants: IENG Nigeria, James Fisher, V Care Diagnostics, Venture Garden, Saro Africa, Barry Callebaut, Native Media, First Consulting, Eyowo Payments.
Compliant taxpayers post-notice escaped prosecution; defaulters risk penalties, interest, jail.
Pedro urged prompt filings and payments.
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians on counterfeit and unregistered Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat products being sold in Lagos.
NAFDAC said Nestle Nigeria, the genuine Marketing Authorisation Holder of the product, received a complaint of suspected counterfeit purportedly manufactured by Nestlé Spain, bearing Batch Code 308002910.
It said that Nestle Nigeria reported that the complainant described that the counterfeit product emitted an odour suggestive of possible contact with fuel.
NAFDAC said that preliminary review of the product by Nestle Nigeria indicated that it had expired, in spite of the container displaying an expiry date of 10-2026, which suggested that the date coding had been tampered with (revalidated).
Nestle Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat is a nutritious infant cereal, designed to be a delicious first food for infants.
NAFDAC said that its post-marketing surveillance’s directorate officers in Lagos conducted a surveillance visit to Maxland Shopping Centre, 193 Ago Palace, Okota, where the product was purchased by the complainant.
It added that the suspected counterfeit and unregistered Cerelac were found on sale at the premises and subsequently mopped up, while Nestle assisted in identifying the distinguishing features between registered and unregistered product.
According to the regulatory agency, Nestle revealed that the unregistered product used a hyphen (-) to separate the day from the year, while the registered product used a slash (/) to separate the day from the year.
“It is important to note that Nestle Nigeria is not aware of the channels through which the products are supplied into the country.
“Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified regulated products to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to [email protected],” NAFDAC said.
The agency warned that counterfeit formula often lacked essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals, leading to stunted growth or developmental issues.
It said that such formula might also contain contaminants that might lead to severe health consequences to infants or even death.
NAFDAC reiterated its commitment to safeguarding public health adding that it would continue surveillance activities to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of all NAFDAC-regulated products circulating in Nigeria.
It said that all zonal directors of the agency and state coordinators had been directed to carry out surveillance and mop up the revalidated product, if found within the zones and states.
The agency urged distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain, to avoid the distribution, sale, and use of fake products.
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