2026 Policy Challenge: Win N2M & Become Nigeria's Policy Youth Ambassador

The 2026 Policy Challenge gives Nigerian undergraduates a route to prize money, national Recognition, expert mentorship, publication and a sponsored trip to pitch in Abuja.

Future Pathways Development Initiative (FPDI) organises the contest; the deadline is 29 May 2026.

What the 2026 Policy Challenge is about

The Policy Challenge is a policy competition for undergraduates in Nigeria. It calls for bold, practical policy proposals, with Nigeria as the starting focus.

The draft lists the 2025 theme as "Rebuilding Trust in the Nigerian State", with reforms aimed at legitimacy, effectiveness and inclusive governance. FPDI, a not-for-profit group, says the challenge is meant to strengthen good governance and inspire citizen-led change.

Finalists will present their proposals before government leaders, researchers and experts in Abuja, Nigeria. Their ideas will also appear in the 2026 Policy Challenge Compendium.

Who can apply

Applicants must meet these conditions:

• They must be undergraduate students enrolled in a Nigerian tertiary school as of August 2026.
• They must be at least 18 years old by August 2026.
• They must apply as a team of 2 to 4 members from the same school.
• Finalists must be available to attend the Policy Conference on 12 August 2025.

What selected teams will get

The draft marks the challenge as fully funded. It also lists these benefits:

• $2,700 (N3,750,000) total prize
• National recognition as Nigeria's Policy Youth Ambassador
• Exclusive mentorship from top governance and policy experts
• Publication in the 2026 Policy Challenge Compendium
• A fully sponsored trip to pitch at the National Policy Conference
• Internship and networking openings with key players and public bodies

How to apply

Applicants can follow these steps:

1. Visit the official Policy Challenge application page and click "Apply".
2. Agree on a unique team name; the team leader will register the team name and add the members.
3. Download the official Rulebook; it contains the application rules.
4. The team leader will onboard all team members, then upload and submit the team's policy proposal in PDF or DOCX format.
5. A confirmation email will be sent after successful submission.

Where to find more updates

The draft points readers to these handles for more information:

• Instagram: @policychallenge
• X: @ThePolicyNG

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Meet The Author

This post is authored by Olusegun Fapohunda, the founder and editor of MySchoolGist.

Boasting over a decade of expertise in the education sector, Olusegun offers current insights into educational trends, career opportunities and the latest news.

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