By Esther Onyegbula 

The Geneith Health Competition (GHC) has called on universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country to join its nationwide student competition aimed at mobilising Nigerian youths for the fight against malaria.

The call by the organisers comes as Nigeria joins the global community to commemorate International Youth Day 2026, with the competition providing a platform for young Nigerians to acquire health knowledge, promote malaria awareness and participate in public health advocacy.

The GHC initiator and CEOAFRICA Managing Director, Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, made the appeal while urging tertiary institutions to encourage their students to register and participate in the competition before the October 30 deadline.

Ilobanafor said young Nigerians, despite differences in their social, economic and geographical circumstances, shared common aspirations for good health, quality education and a prosperous future.

He said malaria remained a major threat to those aspirations, stressing that young people must be empowered to play a greater role in preventing the disease and sensitising their communities.

According to him, “Young Nigerians, regardless of their backgrounds, share common aspirations for good health, quality education, meaningful participation and a prosperous future.”

He urged more institutions to participate in the competition, describing it as an opportunity for students to combine academic excellence with leadership development and public health advocacy.

The appeal has already received responses from Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, and Sahlan College of Health Science and Technology, Jos, which have formally joined the competition.

At EKSU, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Babatola Ayodele, approved students’ participation and encouraged undergraduates to compete for the top prizes.

Sahlan College of Health Science and Technology, Jos, also expressed strong institutional commitment to the initiative.

The organisers said participation had continued to grow nationwide, with students expected to serve as Malaria Ambassadors through grassroots sensitisation, digital advocacy and campaigns promoting improved sanitation and malaria prevention.

The competition, organised by CEOAFRICA, sponsored by Geneith Pharmaceuticals and powered by Coatal Forte Softgel, has an overall N1 billion prize pool.

The prize package includes cash awards, scholarships, training and educational materials for participants across junior secondary, senior secondary and tertiary categories.

According to the organisers, the competition will begin with a virtual preliminary examination, after which the top 50 qualifiers in each state will proceed to live public-health quizzes, regional contests and the national grand finale.

Students from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory are eligible to participate.

Ilobanafor said the competition was not merely about winning prizes but about equipping a new generation of Nigerians with knowledge and leadership skills to contribute to the country’s public health efforts.

He said, “Empowering young people with health knowledge and educational opportunities is critical to building a healthier and more prosperous Nigeria.”

He therefore urged heads of tertiary institutions and other education stakeholders to support their students’ participation, saying a stronger youth-led campaign would help deepen malaria awareness and prevention across communities.

Registration for the competition is ongoing, with October 30 set as the deadline for participating students to register.