Judges Find 40% of Essays in UBA Competition Show AI Influence

In the 2026 United Bank for Africa Foundation National Essay Competition, judges found that about 35 to 40 percent of the submitted essays displayed characteristics typical of content created by artificial intelligence. This information comes from a report by a panel of judges made up of English professors from four Nigerian universities.

The judges assessed over 12,000 essays and noted that many entries contained patterns and phrases often associated with AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. They pointed out features such as overly polished American English, repetitive phrases, and generic solutions that did not relate to Nigeria’s context. For instance, some essays included phrases like “In today’s rapidly evolving world” and “Delve into,” which raised concerns.

The report highlighted that many essays lacked personal experiences and local examples, and some even ended with disclaimers typical of AI-generated content. The judges also observed that several submissions had identical introductory paragraphs and conclusions, suggesting that students might have used shared prompts or templates.

One example cited was a common definition of food security that many essays began with, indicating a lack of originality. The judges expressed worry that this trend undermines the critical thinking skills that the competition aims to foster.

To address these issues, the judges recommended implementing AI detection and plagiarism checks for future competitions. They also suggested clearer guidelines for essay submissions and measures to prevent multiple entries from the same student.

The competition concluded with 15-year-old Bala Khaira from Metro International School in Abuja winning a scholarship worth N15 million. She emphasized the importance of human intelligence and critical thinking in her victory speech, highlighting her extensive research and parental support.

Other top winners included Udom Unwanabasi, who received a N10 million scholarship, and Ndamzi Flourish, who won N3.5 million. The competition aimed to encourage students to engage with important societal issues without relying on artificial intelligence.