Between November 2025 and January 2026, the UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, launched an expansive humanitarian push that reached more than 100,000 vulnerable people across Nigeria and 19 other African countries.

The initiative wasn’t just about charity, it was an act of solidarity aimed at easing the emotional and financial strain associated with the year-end and new year period, especially for those living on the margins.

Reaching the Most Vulnerable

In Nigeria, the reach was both deep and wide. From orphanages in Abia and Lagos, to internally displaced person (IDP) camps in Niger and Borno, and care homes in Oyo, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Taraba, Kebbi and Jigawa, the Foundation distributed food supplies, school materials and cash support.

These essential supplies helped fill immediate needs, from nourishing growing children to providing learning tools that offer long-term opportunity.

Meanwhile, across the continent, hundreds of thousands more benefited from similar support. In Benin Republic, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, and beyond, vulnerable families, students and community members received aid that went beyond food, it brought momentary relief and enduring hope.

Compassion in Action

The moral force behind the initiative was personified in the actions of Bola Atta, managing director/CEO of UBA Foundation, who personally visited some beneficiary sites, including the Destitute Home in Okobaba, Lagos, where she met face-to-face with adults and children receiving support.

“True development begins with compassion and action,” she said, underscoring that the Foundation’s work goes far beyond seasonal generosity. “We are restoring hope and creating pathways for children and families to learn, grow and thrive.”

This message that giving must be consistent, inclusive and dignity-centred, reflects a growing belief within Africa’s philanthropic community: that sustainable change is not a one-off event but a constant relationship with communities in need.

A Tradition of Making a Difference

The UBA Foundation’s pan-African outreach is part of a broader tapestry of programmes that touch lives in meaningful ways, from food banks and educational drives to economic empowerment and environmental sustainability projects.

By weaving these efforts together, the Foundation is building a narrative where corporate support meets human resilience, and generosity becomes an engine for long-term transformation rather than short-term relief.

As the sun set on another year, and as many families braced for hard choices, UBA Foundation’s efforts brought nourishment, materials, and most importantly, hope to corners of Africa where hardship often overshadows possibility.

In the smiling eyes of a child receiving a school book or the grateful embrace of an elderly beneficiary, the message was clear: Africa’s strength lies not just in its markets or resources, but in its capacity to care for each other.

The second and third-place winners will each receive N7.5 million and N5 million educational grants, respectively, up from the N5 million and N3.5 million awarded last year.

Apart from the cash prizes, the writers of the 12 best essays will go home with brand-new laptops and other educational tools to help them prepare towards their tertiary research work and other studies.

The NEC is part of UBA Foundation’s education initiative, which is aimed at promoting literacy and encouraging healthy intellectual competition amongst senior secondary school students in Nigeria and across the African continent.

The students are required to research on and write on the essay topic: “Nigeria is characterised by diverse cultures, ethnicities, and religions. How can young Nigerians deploy diversity to build a united nation?”

Bola Atta, the managing director/CEO, UBA Foundation, who spoke on the opportunities the competition offers to students, emphasised why the foundation has continues to invest in the initiative.

“The deliberate and significant increase in the value of these educational grants underscores our dedication to investing in academic excellence and alleviating the financial burden of higher education for Nigerian students and their families. We are confident that this will further inspire a culture of academic achievement and critical thinking,” she explained.

According to her, “UBA Foundation remains deeply committed to creating impactful opportunities for the youth, who are the future of our continent”

To be eligible, participants must be Nigerian students in senior secondary school and are required to submit scanned copies of their handwritten essays (not more than 750 words), a recent passport photograph, and a copy of their birth certificate, National ID, or international passport via the dedicated portal on the UBA Foundation’s official website.

The deadline for submission of entries is Friday, October 17th, 2025, and applications can be accessed and submitted through the Foundation’s official website or by scanning the QR code available on the posters and websites.

 UBA Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa Plc, charged with the mission to improve the socio-economic development of communities across the African continent. The Foundation’s activities focus on development-driven interventions in the areas of Education, Environment, and Economic Empowerment and special projects.