Business Verge has announced the top 10 finalists of its 2026 Student Essay Competition, recognising outstanding entries from students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) who responded to the question: “How Can Young Nigerians Build Sustainable Businesses in Today’s Economy?”
The essay competition was designed to give students an opportunity to explore the realities of entrepreneurship in Nigeria, share practical ideas for building sustainable businesses, and demonstrate how young Nigerians can contribute to the country’s economic growth.
Following the evaluation of submitted entries, 10 students in no particular order emerged as the leading finalists and will proceed to the next stage of the competition.
The Top 10 Finalists
1.Adeniran Saheed – Law, 200 Level
Nigeria Economy: How Young Nigerians Can Build Enduring Business Ideas
2 Tobechukwu Egboh – Electrical & Electronics Engineering, 400 Level
The Inverter Principle: Building Businesses That Assume the Grid Will Fail
3.John Fulfilment – Computer Engineering, 300 Level
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
What the Market Woman Knows
5.Olayinka Richard Akanji – Engineering/Computer, 200 Level
Building for the Weather: How Young Nigerians Can Build Businesses That Last
6.Abiodun Grace Aiyedun – Mechanical Engineering, 300 Level
Building to Last: How Young Nigerians Can Build Sustainable Businesses in Today’s Economy
7.Olasanoye Olamiposi Anne – Marine Science, 300 Level
How Young Nigerians Can Build Sustainable Businesses in Today’s Economy
8.Adebanjo Demilade David – Management Sciences/Accounting, 300 Level
How Can Young Nigerians Build Sustainable Businesses in Today’s Economy?
9.Oluwatobiloba Ayodele – Law, 200 Level
A Strategic Framework for Sustainable Youth-Led Enterprise in Nigeria
10.Arogundade Toluwani Christabel – Mechanical Engineering, 200 Level
Building Resilient Startups: A Blueprint for Sustainable Youth Entrepreneurship in Nigeria
More Than an Essay Competition
The competition reflects the growing need to create platforms where young Nigerians can engage with the economic issues that will shape their future.
For Business Verge, the competition is an opportunity to move beyond simply discussing entrepreneurship and create a space where students can develop and present ideas around sustainability, innovation, resilience and economic opportunity.
The diverse perspectives presented by the finalists demonstrate that the conversation around building sustainable businesses can be approached from multiple disciplines from law, engineering and computer science to accounting and marine science.
The Journey Continues
The announcement of the Top 10 finalists marks the next stage of the competition, with further announcements to follow as the evaluation progresses towards the selection of the overall winner.
Business Verge will continue to unveil updates throughout the competition, culminating in the announcement of the 2026 Business Verge Student Essay Competition winner.
The organisation congratulates the 10 finalists and all the UNILAG students who participated in the competition for contributing their ideas to an important conversation about the future of entrepreneurship and economic development in Nigeria.
About Business Verge
Business Verge is a pan-African business and technology media platform focused on credible news, insights, analysis, interviews and stories covering the businesses, entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders shaping Africa’s economic future.