Jemila Abubakar Memorial Essay Competition (JAME) 2026

Submissions for the 2026 Jemila Abubakar Memorial Essay Competition closed on 14 December 2025 at 11:59 PM WAT, but this is a competition that returns every year, and the Asido Foundation has run it annually since 2021 without a gap — so understanding how it works now puts you well ahead of next year’s entrants.

Also, Check Out: Top Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships in Europe

JAME exists to keep alive the memory of Jemila Abubakar, the foundation’s first Programme Manager, who died in 2020, by channelling that memory into something concrete: a national platform where Nigerian undergraduates research and write about mental health rather than simply hearing about it in passing.

Each edition centres on a fresh theme reflecting a pressing mental-health or youth issue in Nigeria — the 2026 theme asked entrants to explore “Mental Health and Career Adaptability in a Dynamic Work Environment.” Top entries share a ₦450,000 prize pool, but the competition’s real long-term value sits in the JAME Fellowship that follows, which turns strong writers into trained mental-health advocates. This guide covers exactly who can enter, what judges are actually looking for, and what to start preparing now for the next edition.

Don’t Miss: Top Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students

The Legacy Behind the Competition

Understanding why this competition exists changes how you should approach writing for it. The Asido Foundation runs as a not-for-profit mental-health advocacy charity, and JAME isn’t a standalone marketing exercise — it’s one of several deliberate interventions the foundation uses to close specific gaps in youth mental-health engagement in Nigeria, alongside programmes like the Asido Mental Health Guild and its adolescent-focused initiatives.

Also Read: How to Write a Personal Statement for Scholarship | Tips and Free Template

That context matters for your essay itself: judges aren’t simply grading writing quality in isolation; they’re looking for entrants who can connect a mental-health theme to lived, Nigerian-specific realities rather than producing a generic think-piece that could have been written about any country. Each year’s theme also shifts to track what’s actually pressing at that moment — past editions have tackled the criminalisation of suicide attempts and mainstreaming mental health nationally, which tells you the foundation expects entrants to engage with genuinely current, sometimes difficult, subject matter rather than safe generalities.

Jemila Abubakar Memorial Essay Competition (JAME) Summary

How Judging Actually Works

This is the detail most competing write-ups skip past. Essays are assessed against the announced theme specifically, so an otherwise well-written essay that drifts from the year’s exact framing loses ground regardless of its general quality. Structure matters too — a clear introduction, well-supported arguments grounded in credible sources or real-life Nigerian examples, and a focused conclusion consistently outperform essays that ramble across multiple angles without committing to one.

One rule worth taking seriously: submitting an AI-generated essay or engaging in plagiarism of any form results in automatic disqualification, and this has been enforced consistently across recent editions — treat this as a genuine screening criterion, not a boilerplate warning.

What’s at Stake for Winners

The competition rewards go beyond a single cash payout, and it’s worth understanding the full structure before you start writing.

• Cash prizes: a total pool of ₦450,000 split across the top three entrants — ₦200,000 for first place, ₦150,000 for second, and ₦100,000 for third
• Certificates of recognition: formal certification issued to top entrants, useful for CVs and postgraduate applications alike
• JAME Fellowship admission: entry into a structured mentorship and mental-health advocacy training programme, which past editions have extended to a wider group of top performers beyond just the top three cash winners
• National visibility: recognition through the Asido Foundation’s platforms, which carries real weight if you’re building a profile in mental-health advocacy, public health, or related fields

The Fellowship is arguably the more valuable long-term prize for entrants serious about advocacy work — it converts a one-off essay into an ongoing mentorship relationship rather than ending the moment prize money is disbursed.

Join Lucy’s Scholarship Mentorship Group

Get step-by-step guidance, live group reviews, and exclusive support to find, apply, and win global scholarships.

Join Now, Let's Waka Together →

Who Can Enter

The Jemila Abubakar Memorial Essay Competition (JAME), organized annually by the Asido Foundation, is a high-profile national writing initiative for Nigerian undergraduates. Established to honor Miss Jemila Abubakar, the foundation’s pioneer Project Manager, the competition serves as a youth advocacy platform to promote mental health literacy, combat stigma, and drive social change.

1. Academic Enrolment & Tertiary Institution Status

• Active Undergraduate Status: Applicants must be currently enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree program at an accredited Nigerian tertiary institution (federal, state, or private university, polytechnic, or college of education).
• Verifiable Studentship: Candidates must maintain active, verifiable enrollment that can be corroborated by their institution (e.g., via a valid Student ID Card, a Dean’s identification letter, or a stamped semester course registration form).

2. Mandatory “Unashamed Pledge” Requirement

The Unashamed Pledge is an official anti-stigma campaign run by the Asido Foundation. Taking this pledge is an absolute eligibility barrier rather than an optional action.

• Pledge Execution: Applicants must visit the official portal to register and complete the digital pledge, committing to ending mental health discrimination.
• Certification Barrier: Completing the pledge generates a digital certificate confirming registration. An entry is deemed incomplete and ineligible for peer review if the pledge has not been formally executed.

Required Documents

Submitting an entry for the Jemila Abubakar Memorial Essay Competition (JAME) requires assembling a complete digital submission package. Because the Asido Foundation processes high volumes of national entries, non-compliant document formats, missing files, or unverified student credentials lead to automated screening failure before evaluation by the review panel.

1. The Core Essay Document

• File Format: Must be submitted strictly as an editable Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). PDF conversions, plain text files (.txt), or direct body-email entries are automatically disqualified.
• Word Count Parameters: Strictly 750 to 1,000 words (excluding the title block and reference citations). Submissions falling below 750 words or exceeding 1,000 words face instant penalty or rejection.
• Document Header & Formatting: Include a clean cover block at the very top of page 1 featuring:
  • Full Legal Name
  • Tertiary Institution, Department, and Current Level of Study
  • Functional Email Address & Active WhatsApp/Phone Number
  • Official Essay Title / Theme
• Originality & AI Protocol: The text must be 100% original. Files undergo automated plagiarism scans and AI-content detection. Undisclosed use of LLM tools leads to immediate disqualification and a ban from future editions.

2. Proof of Active Studentship

• Required Attachment: A clear, high-resolution scan or photo of your official institutional identification verifying full-time undergraduate enrollment in a Nigerian university, polytechnic, or college of education.
• Accepted Documents:
  • Valid Student Identification Card (showing current academic session/expiry).
  • An official Identification Letter signed by your Departmental Head (HOD) or Dean of Student Affairs.
  • A stamped current semester course registration form.

3. Signed Unashamed Pledge Certificate

• Mandatory Verification File: Proof that you have taken the Asido Foundation’s mental health anti-stigma pledge.
• Procurement Process: Complete the online pledge form, and download the resulting Unashamed Pledge Certificate.
• File Upload: Upload the digital certificate file directly alongside your essay submission. Entries submitted without this certificate are marked incomplete.

4. Scanned Passport Photograph

• Image Specifications: A clear, recent passport-style studio photograph against a plain or off-white background.
• File Format: Saved as a high-resolution .jpg or .png file.
• Usage: Used for media announcements, certificate generation, and candidate identity verification if shortlisted for the Top 15 JAME Fellowship Cohort.

How to Apply

1. Click on the Apply button below to fill out the form
2. Review the competition theme carefully (“Mental Health and Career Adaptability in a Dynamic Work Environment”).
3. Do your research: gather credible sources, use relevant data or real-life examples to support your ideas; reflect on what mental health means in Nigeria’s context.
4. Draft your essay, ensuring clarity of structure: introduction, arguments/supporting paragraphs, conclusion; all centered around the theme.
5. Proofread and polish: check grammar, spelling, flow, and ensure your essay is within the 750–1500 word limit.
6. Prepare required documents: passport photo, proof of studentship, signed Unashamed Pledge certificate, and your personal information.
7. Submit before the deadline (for 2026: December 14, 2025) at 11:59 PM WAT.

Getting Ready for the Next Edition

Since this year’s window has closed, the smartest move now is treating the coming months as research and drafting time rather than waiting for the next theme announcement. Sign the Unashamed Pledge in advance if you haven’t already — this document doesn’t change year to year, so there’s no reason to leave it until the application window opens.

Start following mental-health discourse in Nigeria more broadly, since each year’s theme tends to track genuinely current issues, and having a head start on research and real examples gives you more time to focus on structure and argument once the specific theme is announced. Based on the pattern of previous years, expect the next edition to open around November 2026 with a submission deadline in mid-December, with winners typically announced the following January.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the JAME 2026 competition still accepting entries?

No. The 2026 edition closed on 14 December 2025 at 11:59 PM WAT. Based on the annual pattern, the next edition is expected to open around November 2026.

Can postgraduate students apply?

No. JAME is restricted to undergraduate students at accredited Nigerian tertiary institutions. Postgraduate students are not eligible under the published criteria.

Will using AI writing tools for my essay get me disqualified?

Yes. Submitting an AI-generated essay results in automatic disqualification, applied consistently across recent editions, alongside standard plagiarism rules.

Do only the top 3 winners get access to the JAME Fellowship?

Not necessarily. Past editions have extended Fellowship enrolment to a wider group of top-performing entrants beyond just the top three cash prize winners, though this can vary by edition.

What kind of essay themes does JAME typically choose?

Themes shift annually to reflect pressing mental-health or youth issues in Nigeria specifically. Recent editions have covered subjects including career adaptability and workplace mental health, the criminalisation of suicide attempts, and mainstreaming mental-health awareness nationally.

Disclaimer: All competition details, prize values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official and publicly available sources as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official Asido Foundation website before submitting your entry. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the Asido Foundation.

Official Application Portal