LASEPA unveils essay competition with ₦2m top prize for Lagos undergraduates

Environment

LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has announced a statewide essay competition for tertiary institution students as part of activities marking the Inter-Tertiary Institutions Environmental Summit 2.0 scheduled for June 2026.

According to the competition’s campaign poster cited by our correspondence, the competition, organised under the auspices of the Lagos State Government, is themed: “Combatting Transboundary Pollution in Lagos State: A City Level Intervention or National Effort?”

LASEPA said the initiative is aimed at engaging young scholars in addressing environmental challenges facing Lagos, particularly issues arising from transboundary pollution and the need for coordinated responses.

The agency said the competition is open to undergraduate students enrolled in both public and private tertiary institutions across the state.

Participants are required to submit original essays written in English, with a minimum of 1,000 words and a maximum of 1,500 words, formatted in Times New Roman, size 12, and double-spaced.

In addition to the essay, entrants are expected to include a one-page profile highlighting their experience or interest in the environmental sector.

Submissions are to be made through an online registration portal, with the deadline set for May 8, 2026.

LASEPA disclosed that the top 10 shortlisted entries will advance to an open debate competition to be held during the grand finale of the summit.

Winners of the competition will receive cash prizes, with ₦2 million awarded for first place, ₦1 million for second place, and ₦500,000 for third place, alongside consolation prizes for other finalists.

The grand finale is scheduled to take place on June 9, 2026, at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium in Alausa, Ikeja.

The agency noted that the competition underscores the government’s commitment to fostering environmental awareness, innovation, and youth participation in policy discourse aimed at achieving sustainable development in Lagos State.