Eighteen students from public tertiary institutions across Nigeria have been awarded a total of N9 million in scholarships in the 2025 edition of the Joseph Adekunle Adegbite Scholarship Foundation’s annual essay competition.
The awards were presented on October 1, 2025, during a ceremony held at the Citiheights Luxury Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos. Themed “Honouring Excellence, Empowering Tomorrow,” this year’s event underscored the foundation’s commitment to promoting academic excellence and nurturing future leaders.
More than 2,000 students from across the country’s 36 states applied for the competition, but only 18 emerged as winners, each receiving N500,000 towards their tuition fees. Additionally, 31 runners-up were awarded N100,000 each.
Participants were tasked with writing on the topic, “Building a Resilient Nigerian Economy: From Farm Security to Digital Empowerment,” which challenged them to propose innovative solutions linking Nigeria’s agricultural strengths with digital opportunities while articulating their career goals.
Organisers described the topic as both timely and crucial, reflecting Nigeria’s urgent need to merge agricultural innovation with technological advancement. “By asking students to bridge tradition and digital progress, the foundation encouraged a generation to think critically about sustainable solutions for Nigeria’s prosperity,” the statement read.
The selection process was described as rigorous and transparent. Essays were judged based on content, structure, grammar, organisation, and coherence, and were also screened with AI detection tools to disqualify heavily AI-assisted submissions.
According to the foundation, the awards go beyond financial support. “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,” it stated.
The Joseph Adekunle Adegbite Scholarship Foundation continues to play a pivotal role in supporting education and empowering young Nigerians to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s future.
