The Nigerian Army has opened entries for the 2027 edition of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Literary Competition, giving Nigerian pupils and students an opportunity to win cash prizes of up to ₦2 million.
The competition, which is open to young Nigerians in primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary institutions, will run from November 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027.
Organised under the theme, “The Nigerian Army: Securing the People and Promoting Development,” the contest features three categories: essay writing, art and poetry.
Participants are expected to submit original entries that reflect the competition’s theme. The Nigerian Army has also warned that any submission found to contain plagiarised material will be disqualified.
Who Can Apply for the 2027 COAS Literary Competition?
The competition is open to Nigerian children and young people between the ages of 5 and 24, provided they fall within one of the three designated educational categories.
The age groups are:
- Primary school: 5–11 years.
- Secondary school: 12–17 years.
- Tertiary institutions: 18–24 years.
Undergraduate students in Nigerian tertiary institutions are eligible to participate in the tertiary category.
Applicants must ensure their entries are original and comply with the specific requirements for their chosen competition.
Categories of the Nigerian Army Literary Competition
The 2027 COAS Literary Competition features three major contests, each with its own submission guidelines.
1. COAS Essay Competition
Applicants interested in the essay category must develop a topic from the official competition theme: “The Nigerian Army: Securing the People and Promoting Development”.
The permitted essay lengths depend on the applicant’s educational level:
- Primary and secondary school essays must not exceed 2,000 words.
- Tertiary institution essays must be between 3,000 and 5,000 words.
Essays must reflect the original thoughts of the writers and be uploaded through the official submission portal.
2. COAS Art Competition
The art category welcomes original paintings and drawings that relate to the competition theme.
Participants must submit their artwork alongside a short caption explaining the work.
Only painting and drawing are accepted, and submissions must not have been previously published.
Applicants are required to take a clear photograph or scan of their artwork before uploading it to the competition portal.
3. COAS Poetry Competition
The poetry category is open to different poetry genres, provided the submitted work addresses the competition theme.
All poems must:
- Be original.
- Be written in English.
- Contain no more than 200 words.
- Relate to the official competition theme.
Completed poems must be uploaded before the May 31, 2027 deadline.
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COAS Literary Competition 2027 Prize Money
The Nigerian Army will award cash prizes to the top three participants in each educational category.
The prize distribution is as follows:
| Category | First Prize | Second Prize | Third Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary school | ₦1,000,000 | ₦750,000 | ₦500,000 |
| Secondary school | ₦1,500,000 | ₦1,200,000 | ₦750,000 |
| Tertiary institution | ₦2,000,000 | ₦1,500,000 | ₦1,000,000 |
The combined cash prizes amount to ₦10.2 million.
Winners will also receive certificates and be presented with their prizes at a specially organised ceremony. The Nigerian Army may publish submitted entries in its journals and periodicals.
Requirements for the Chief of Army Staff Literary Competition
Applicants must comply with the general entry conditions before submitting their work.
The requirements include:
- Applicants must be Nigerian children or youths within the specified age range for their educational category.
- All application forms must be completed online.
- Applicants must print their completed forms and obtain the endorsement and official stamp of their school’s Head.
- The endorsed forms must be scanned and uploaded.
- All essays, poems and artworks must be original.
- Entries must be submitted through the official Nigerian Army competition portal before the deadline.
The selection process will involve two stages. An initial assessment will be conducted to shortlist entries, after which shortlisted candidates will participate in a virtual interaction with a team of assessors.
Any entry found to be unoriginal at any stage of the process will be disqualified.
How to Apply for the 2027 COAS Literary Competition
Interested and eligible applicants can follow these steps:
- Visit the official Nigerian Army competition portal at dcma.army.mil.ng.
- Select the appropriate competition category: essay, art or poetry.
- Complete the online application form with the required information.
- Print the completed application form.
- Submit it to the Head of the applicant’s school for endorsement and stamping.
- Scan the endorsed form and upload it alongside the relevant competition entry.
- Review the submission to ensure it meets the requirements before completing the application.
Application portal: https://dcma.army.mil.ng
The application is open from November 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027. Entries submitted after the closing date will not be considered.
Applicants should ensure they follow the instructions for their selected category and submit their work well ahead of the deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the 2027 Chief of Army Staff Literary Competition open to Nigerians?
Yes. The competition is open to Nigerian children and young people in primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
2. What is the age limit for the COAS Literary Competition?
Applicants must be between 5 and 24 years old, depending on their educational category. Primary school applicants must be 5–11, secondary school applicants 12–17, and tertiary institution applicants 18–24.
3. How much is the first prize for the COAS Essay Competition?
The first-place prize is ₦1 million for primary school participants, ₦1.5 million for secondary school participants and ₦2 million for tertiary institution participants.
4. What are the categories of the Nigerian Army Literary Competition?
The competition features essay writing, art and poetry.
5. What is the deadline for the COAS Literary Competition 2027?
The deadline is May 31, 2027. Entries submitted after this date will not be considered.
6. How many words should the COAS competition essay contain?
Primary and secondary school essays must not exceed 2,000 words, while tertiary institution essays must contain between 3,000 and 5,000 words.
7. Where can applicants submit their entries?
Applications and competition entries must be uploaded through the official Nigerian Army portal at https://dcma.army.mil.ng.