10th NCDMB Annual National Undergraduate Essay Competition, 2026
Official Rules and Guidelines for Participation
2026 ESSAY TOPIC:
"Promoting Manufacturing for Sustainable Local Content Development"
CONTEST RULES
Eligibility: This contest is open only to 100–200 level students in public and private Universities and Polytechnics in Nigeria.
Proof of Studentship: Entrants must submit either a letter of admission or a signed letter of attestation from his/her Head of Department (HOD).
Originality: All essays must be original works specifically written for the competition.
No Co-authorship: Co-authorship of essay is not permitted.
Single Entry: Entrants are to submit only one entry.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Submission Period: The competition opens on 15 August, 2026. Completed manuscripts and accompanying documents must be submitted to ncdmb essay website on or before 26 September, 2026.
Late Submissions: Late manuscripts will not be considered.
Format: Hard copy submissions will not be accepted.
Word Count: Manuscripts must not exceed 1,500 words.
Contact Information: Current contact information of each entrant, including phone number and email address, must accompany the manuscripts.
Anonymity: Entrants' names shall not appear on the manuscript but on a separate title page to be removed when a number is assigned to the entry.
ASSESSMENT & TIMELINE
Assessment Notification: Short-listed entrants will be contacted for the 3rd and final round interactive assessment on or before 10 October, 2026.
Award Ceremony: The award/prize-giving ceremony comes up on 22 October, 2026.
Publication: The winning essay will be published in the NCDMB's in-house magazine, Local Content Digest.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Clarity of Expression
Spelling and Grammar
Originality of Thought
Depth of Analysis
Relevance to Industry
Conformity to Contest Rules
Plagiarism Check:
All essays will be subjected to plagiarism checks to determine originality.
