Business Verge has announced the Top 10 finalists of its 2026 Student Essay Competition, following the evaluation of entries submitted by students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
The competition challenged students to respond to the question, “How Can Young Nigerians Build Sustainable Businesses in Today’s Economy?”
The initiative was created to encourage young Nigerians to think critically about entrepreneurship, business sustainability, and the role they can play in shaping the country’s economic future.
With Nigeria’s business environment presenting challenges ranging from infrastructure and financing constraints to changing consumer behavior and economic uncertainty, the competition provided students with a platform to examine these realities and propose ideas for building businesses that can survive and grow.
Meet the Top 10 Finalists
The following students emerged as the top 10 finalists:
1. Adeniran Saheed
Law, 200 Level
Essay: Nigeria Economy: How Young Nigerians Can Build Enduring Business Ideas
2. Tobechukwu Egboh
Electrical & Electronics Engineering, 400 Level
Essay: The Inverter Principle: Building Businesses That Assume the Grid Will Fail
3. John Fulfilment
Computer Engineering, 300 Level
Essay: Building From the Rubble: How Young Nigerians Can Build Sustainable Businesses in Today’s Economy
4. Tobechukwu Praise-God Egboh
Electrical & Electronics Engineering, 400 Level
Essay: What the Market Woman Knows
5. Olayinka Richard Akanji
Engineering/Computer, 200 Level
Essay: Building for the Weather: How Young Nigerians Can Build Businesses That Last
6. Abiodun Grace Aiyedun
Mechanical Engineering, 300 Level
Essay: Building to Last: How Young Nigerians Can Build Sustainable Businesses in Today’s Economy
7. Olasanoye Olamiposi Anne
Marine Science, 300 Level
Essay: How Young Nigerians Can Build Sustainable Businesses in Today’s Economy
8. Adebanjo Demilade David
Management Sciences/Accounting, 300 Level
Essay: How Can Young Nigerians Build Sustainable Businesses in Today’s Economy?
9. Oluwatobiloba Ayodele
Law, 200 Level
Essay: A Strategic Framework for Sustainable Youth-Led Enterprise in Nigeria
10. Arogundade Toluwani Christabel
Mechanical Engineering, 200 Level
Essay: Building Resilient Startups: A Blueprint for Sustainable Youth Entrepreneurship in Nigeria
Different Disciplines, One Economic Question
One of the notable aspects of this year’s finalists is the range of academic disciplines represented.
The finalists come from fields including law, electrical and electronics engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, marine science, accounting, and computer-related studies.
This diversity reflects the fact that entrepreneurship is not limited to one academic or professional background. The ability to identify problems, understand market needs, and develop sustainable solutions can emerge from virtually any field.
Several of the finalist topics also point to challenges that young businesses encounter in Nigeria, including unreliable infrastructure, the need for resilience, changing market conditions, and the importance of developing business models that can withstand economic pressures.
The Announcement Receives Media Coverage
The announcement of the Top 10 finalists has also received coverage from other Nigerian business and marketing-focused publications.
The announcement was published by Market Tribe, Brand Blitz, and Brand Essence Nigeria, extending the competition’s reach beyond Business Verge’s own platforms.
Read the announcement on:
https://brandblitz.com.ng/business-verge-announces-top-10-finalists-of-unilag-student-essay-competition/
https://www.brandessencenigeria.com/business-verge-announces-top-10-finalists-of-unilag-student-essay-competition/
https://markettribe.com.ng/business-verge-announces-top-10-finalists-of-unilag-student-essay-competition/
Creating a Platform for Young Business Thinkers
For Business Verge, the essay competition is part of a broader effort to create platforms that encourage young Nigerians to engage with the issues shaping business and the economy.
Rather than focusing only on established entrepreneurs and corporate leaders, the competition provides an opportunity to hear directly from students who represent the next generation of founders, professionals, innovators, and business leaders.
The ideas presented through the competition also offer an opportunity to examine how young Nigerians understand the country’s economic realities and the possibilities that exist within them.
The Competition Continues
The announcement of the Top 10 finalists marks the next stage of the 2026 Business Verge Student Essay Competition. The finalists will progress through the subsequent stages of the competition as Business Verge moves towards selecting the overall winner.
Further announcements will be made as the competition progresses, including the next round of finalists and, ultimately, the winner of the 2026 Business Verge Student Essay Competition.
Business Verge congratulates the Top 10 finalists and all the students who participated in the competition. The conversation around building sustainable businesses in Nigeria continues, and these young voices are already contributing to it.
Follow Business Verge for updates on the next stage of the competition and the announcement of the 2026 winner.
