Eighteen students from public tertiary institutions across Nigeria have emerged winners in the 2025 edition of the Joseph Adekunle Adegbite Scholarship Foundation’s annual essay contest, getting a total of N9m in scholarship funds.
The awards were presented on October 1, 2025, during a ceremony held at the Citiheights Luxury Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.
In a statement obtained on Monday, the organisers noted that the event, with the theme, “Honouring Excellence, Empowering Tomorrow,” highlighted the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting academic excellence and fostering future leaders.
The competition drew more than 2,000 applicants from across Nigeria’s 36 states, among which 18 exceptional students were selected as winners, each receiving N500,000 towards their tuition.
In addition to the top prize winners, 31 runners-up were awarded N100,000 each.
Participants were tasked with writing an essay on the topic: “Building a Resilient Nigerian Economy: From Farm Security to Digital Empowerment.” The prompt challenged the students to articulate their career goals and propose innovative strategies that connect Nigeria’s agricultural strengths with the opportunities of the digital age.
“This topic, both timely and vital, reflects the nation’s urgent need to blend agricultural innovation with technological progress. By asking students to bridge tradition and digital advancement, the Foundation encouraged a generation to think critically about sustainable solutions for Nigeria’s prosperity.
“The selection process was rigorous and transparent. Applicants were evaluated on the quality of their essay submissions, which were judged for content, structure, grammar, organisation, and coherence. Essays received were fed to an AI Detector to weed out applicants that utilised aided writing copiously. This meticulous approach ensured that only the most deserving candidates, who demonstrated not only academic brilliance but also clarity of purpose, were celebrated,” the statement said.
The Foundation added that the awards represented more than financial assistance. “They are a lifeline and a launchpad.”
“Beyond the individual, entire communities are uplifted as these young leaders are inspired to give back, innovate, and become agents of change in their chosen fields.”
