By Rauf Mujeeb
Michael Olagunwa, a 500-level Law student at the University of Ibadan, has emerged winner of the DealHQ Partners Undergraduate Essay Competition 2026, a Pan-African essay competition open to 300- to 500-level law students from accredited universities across the continent.
The winners were announced by DealHQ Partners on its official social media platforms on Monday, July 20, 2026.
Participants were required to write on the topic: “From Barrels to Bytes: Using AI to Re-engineer the Risk Equation in Africa’s Energy Sector.”
According to the organisers, the competition attracted entries from six African countries: Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, South Sudan, and Ghana.
Younggreen Peter, a law student from Kabarak University, Kenya, finished second, while Ernest Enobong from the University of Lagos placed third.
Speaking in an interview with IndyPress, Michael said he initially doubted whether to apply because of the level of competition.
“When I saw the call for entries, I realised it was open to undergraduate students across Africa. At first, I hesitated because I knew brilliant minds from institutions across the continent would be applying. A few days later, however, my friend, Ifeanyichukwu Elechi, recommended the same competition to me. That made me reconsider.” Michael said.
Reflecting on the announcement of the results, he described winning the competition as a rewarding moment.
“Simply making the top 10 already felt like a major achievement. When the organisers announced the final results, I was grateful to emerge as the winner.” he added.
The first, second, and third-place winners are to receive cash prizes of $500, $300, and $200, respectively.
