“Nigeria’s Young Minds Called to Rise: Army Unveils Massive COAS 2026 Competition with Life-Changing Prizes
By Paul Ebi
The Nigerian Army has announced the commencement of the COAS Literary Competitions 2026, inviting pupils, students and undergraduates across the country to showcase their creative talents under the theme, “The NA: The People’s Army, Our Army.”
The nationwide competition, which opens on Monday, August 11, 2025, will run until Tuesday, March 31, 2026, providing a platform for young Nigerians to express their perspectives on the Army through essays, artworks and poetry.
The competition is open to three categories: primary school pupils aged 5–11 years, secondary school students aged 12–17 years, and undergraduates of all ages in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
Categories
Participants are expected to compete in any of the following:COAS Essay CompetitionCOAS Art CompetitionCOAS Poetry Competition
Entry Guidelines
Organisers disclosed that application forms must be completed online, printed, duly endorsed and stamped by the Head of School, scanned and uploaded.
There will be two levels of assessment — an initial screening to shortlist candidates, followed by a virtual interaction with assessors before final winners are selected.
The Army warned that any entry discovered at any stage to be plagiarised or not original will be disqualified. Selected entries may also be published in Nigerian Army journals and periodicals.
Specific Requirements
For the Essay Competition, participants are to coin topics from the central theme. Essays for primary and secondary categories must not exceed 2,000 words, while undergraduate entries should range between 3,000 and 5,000 words. All essays must reflect the original thoughts of the writer.
In the Art Competition, entries must strictly be paintings or drawings reflecting the theme. Each artwork must carry a short caption and must not have been previously published. Entries are to be scanned or photographed and uploaded on or before March 31, 2026.
For the Poetry Competition, poems must be original, written in English, relate to the theme and must not exceed 200 words.
Cash Prizes
Winners across all three categories — Essay, Art and Poetry — will receive substantial cash rewards and certificates.For primary school category (5–11 years), winners will receive:1st Prize – N500,0002nd Prize – N250,0003rd Prize – N100,000For secondary school category (12–17 years):1st Prize – N700,0002nd Prize – N350,0003rd Prize – N150,000For undergraduates:1st Prize – N1,000,0002nd Prize – N500,0003rd Prize – N250,000
According to the organisers, cash prizes and certificates will be presented at a specially organised ceremony, with winners duly notified of the date and venue.
The competition is part of efforts by the Nigerian Army to strengthen civil-military relations and inspire young Nigerians to reflect creatively on the role of the Army as a people-centered institution.
The closing date for submission of entries is Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
