The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) has announced the winners of its 2026 Essay, Poetry and Spoken Word Competition, recognising outstanding contributions from law students and young lawyers who used creative and intellectual expression to examine the role of law in advancing public interest, justice, democracy and national development.
The competition, organised around the theme of the Section’s 2026 Annual Conference, “In Public Interest: Advancing Justice, Democracy and Development,” attracted 57 entries from universities and NBA branches across the country. Following an assessment by a Judging Sub-Committee against a published evaluation rubric, winners emerged in the law students and young lawyers categories, with cash prizes of ₦75,000, ₦50,000 and ₦25,000 awarded to first, second and third-place winners respectively. The prizes are scheduled to be presented during the conference.