The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has rewarded the winners of its 2026 National Essay Competition, reinforcing its mission to cultivate disaster risk awareness, preparedness, and safety resilience among young Nigerians.
The recognition ceremony took place on Thursday at the NEMA Headquarters in Abuja. Represented by the Director of Internal Audit, Mr. Aliyu Waziri, the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, emphasized that emergency management must evolve into a deeply embedded culture rather than a reactive measure deployed only after disaster strikes. She highlighted that the competition attracted a massive nationwide turnout, prompting a rigorous and transparent evaluation process to select the top entries.
Mrs. Umar commended the participants for generating innovative ideas that signal the rise of a new generation of disaster-conscious citizens dedicated to prevention and community safety. Finalists residing outside Abuja will have their certificates and prizes delivered securely through the NEMA Zonal Directorates closest to them.
The competition distributed cash prizes across three distinct categories, with first, second, and third-place winners receiving ₦500,000, ₦300,000, and ₦200,000 respectively, alongside certificates of recognition awarded to the top ten finalists in each division.
In Category A for Senior Secondary Schools, which focused on the topic “My Role in Disaster Risk Reduction,” Orire Fareedah Omolola of Murphy-Tonia Schools, Lagos, captured first place. Onminyi Olive of Faith Academy, Goshen, Abuja, took second, and Isah Zainab Ize of Government Secondary School, Gwarinpa, Abuja, claimed third.
Category B challenged tertiary institution students with the topic “Climate Change and Disaster Management in Nigeria.” Adelanwa Emmanuel Oluwatosin of the University of Ibadan secured the top spot, followed by Memunat Olawore Omobolanle of the Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus, in second, and Aminu Ibrahim Bello of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, in third.
Category C targeted NYSC Emergency Management Vanguards addressing “Technology for Disaster Response: Opportunities and Challenges.” Corps member Dabagal Marylyn Mialmoen triumphed in first place, Abiola Olamide Zion, serving in Adamawa State, finished second, and Stanley Sunday Iserhienrhien earned third place.
Speaking at the event, media consultant Hakeem Bello urged the honorees to serve as active ambassadors of disaster prevention. He noted that the initiative transcends rewarding academic excellence, aiming instead to nurture a proactive generation that understands effective disaster management relies on foresight, preparation, and informed action before emergencies unfold.
