National Youth Pension Literacy Essay Competition 2026

As part of National Pension Week 2026, Nigeria's pension industry, including the National Pension Commission (PenCom), has launched the National Youth Pension Literacy Essay Competition. Young Nigerians are invited to share their vision for retirement in Nigeria, with ₦2.5 million in total cash prizes, plus laptops and trophies.

Deadline: 20 October 2026. Winners will be announced on 26 October 2026. The official page says the rules are still under review, so check npw.ng for any updates before you submit.

Essay topic

"My Dream for a Great Retirement Experience in Nigeria"

Write about what a good retirement in Nigeria should look like, and how today's choices, policies and innovations could make it happen.

Categories and prizes

Rules

• One essay per person
• Your essay must have a title
• Upload as PDF, DOCX or TXT (maximum 10 MB)
• Entrants under 18 need parent or guardian consent
• The essay must be your own original work. Essays substantially written or rewritten by AI tools are not allowed, and any limited AI help for research or brainstorming must be disclosed.
• Shortlisted entrants may need to show a student ID or NYSC identification, and may be asked to explain their essay to confirm they wrote it

How essays are judged

Category A (secondary): originality and creativity (30%), understanding of pensions and retirement (25%), relevance to the topic (20%), organisation and clarity (15%), grammar and writing (10%)

Category B (tertiary and NYSC): research and understanding (25%), critical thinking (25%), practical recommendations (20%), innovation and originality (15%), structure and writing (15%)

How to enter

1. Go to the official competition page on npw.ng (link above).
2. Choose your category.
3. Fill in your details and your school, institution or NYSC information.
4. Enter your essay title and upload your essay.
5. Submit before 20 October 2026.

Tips for a winning essay

• Learn the basics first. Read about Nigeria's Contributory Pension Scheme, Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) and the role of PenCom, so your essay shows real understanding.
• Make it personal and specific. Describe what a great retirement looks like for someone in your family or community, then explain what needs to change.
• Offer practical ideas (especially in Category B), such as pension awareness for young workers, coverage for informal sector workers, or using technology to make pensions easier to manage.
• Stay under the word limit, and proofread carefully.
• Write it yourself. Judges check originality, and finalists may have to discuss their essays.