As part of activities to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the creation of Ekiti State, the Ekiti State at 30 Anniversary Planning Committee has announced a youth essay competition designed to give young Ekiti people a platform to shape the conversation about the future of the State.
The competition, titled “Ekiti at 30: My Dream and Agenda for the Next Thirty Years,” invites young Ekiti people to envision the kind of State they want to see by 2056 and propose practical steps that government, communities, institutions, the private sector and citizens can take today to make that vision possible.
The essay competition is open to Ekiti indigenes aged 18 to 35, whether resident within or outside the State.
Participants are encouraged to explore issues including agriculture and food security; education and human-capital development; technology and innovation; entrepreneurship and job creation; arts, culture and tourism; infrastructure and urban development; healthcare and social protection; governance and civic responsibility; and environmental sustainability.
The Planning Committee said the competition is intended to move beyond the familiar diagnosis of Ekiti’s challenges by encouraging young people to develop original, practical and measurable solutions for the State’s long-term development.
According to the Committee, preference will be given to essays that clearly connect vision with implementation by addressing what should be done, who should do it, how it could be funded and what results should be expected.
The competition offers the following prizes:
● First Prize: ₦1,500,000, a laptop computer and certificate
● Second Prize: ₦1,000,000, a laptop computer and certificate
● Third Prize: ₦750,000, a laptop computer and certificate
● Seven other finalists: ₦100,000 each and a certificate of distinction
The winners will be announced and presented with their prizes at the Ekiti at 30 Future Summit, scheduled for October 7, 2026, in Ado-Ekiti.
The Committee said the initiative is also aimed at identifying young writers, thinkers and policy innovators whose ideas can contribute to Ekiti’s long-term development agenda.
The top ten essays will be edited and published in a commemorative publication, while the finalists will be invited to an Ekiti Youth Futures Forum scheduled for December.
The strongest proposals emerging from the competition will also be compiled and presented to the State Government as a proposed “Youth Agenda for Ekiti 2056.”
According to the committee, entries, interested participants should visit www.ekitistate.gov.ng/ essay to submit their essay, while entries will be accepted from September 11 to September 28, 2026.
