16-year-old OAU Medical Student Wins 2025 NCDMB National Undergraduate Essay Competition

A 16-year-old, Akande Oyinkansola Josephine, a 200-level medical student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has emerged winner of the 2025 Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Annual National Undergraduate Essay Competition, beating hundreds of undergraduates across the country.

This year’s contest—the ninth edition—focused on the theme: “Sustaining Local Content Policies in the Transitioning Oil and Gas Industry.”

At the grand finale held on Thursday at the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Akande was announced as the overall champion and was awarded ₦1 million, a brand-new laptop, and a plaque.

The second prize went to Sonuga Sultan Opeyemi, a 23-year-old medical student from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, who received ₦700,000, a laptop, and a plaque.
Aguigwe Precious Amarachi, a 19-year-old Computer Science student of the University of Uyo, emerged third, winning ₦500,000 and a laptop.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, described the competition as one of the board’s flagship initiatives for driving capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and national intellectual development. Represented by the General Manager of Corporate Communications, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, Ogbe explained that the contest aims to strengthen students’ understanding of local content and its relevance to economic transformation.

“Through this competition, we aim to strengthen communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in our undergraduates while preparing them for the modern digital economy,” he said.

Ogbe also highlighted the board’s progress in implementing its 10-Year Strategic Roadmap, currently at 56% completion, alongside the gains made through the newly launched “Back to the Creek Initiative,” which supports local communities and nurtures indigenous talents.

Chairman of the occasion and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Prof. Barclays Ayakoroma, commended NCDMB for sustaining the annual competition. He, however, expressed concern that no student from any Bayelsa-based university made the top 10 finalists and urged the board to consider consolation prizes for future editions.

Consultant to NCDMB on the essay competition, Eyinimi Omorozi, praised the brilliance and discipline of the finalists, noting that the competition continues to uphold academic excellence and capacity-building goals.

The top 10 finalists were selected from 50 shortlisted entries submitted by undergraduates nationwide. They include: Folayemi Idowu (OAU) in fourth place; Usman Tahiru (Ahmadu Bello University); Maryam Hazmat and Omoshalewa Ogunleke (Usmanu Danfodiyo University); Isaiah Iyah (University of Uyo) in eighth place; Lawal Abdullah (Baze University, Abuja) in ninth; and Lawal Olayemi (Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti) in tenth.