13-year-old Rhema-Love wins ₦5m scholarship in Heirs Insurance essay contest

Heirs Insurance Group, Nigeria’s fastest-growing insurance company, has announced the winners of the 4th edition of the Heirs Insurance Essay Championship, a national competition designed to promote financial literacy and academic excellence among secondary school students and educators.

The grand finale, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, brought together students, parents, educators, and industry leaders to celebrate creativity and intellectual achievement.

This year’s competition, themed “The Role of Insurance in Keeping Families Safe and Secure,” drew over 5,000 entries from junior secondary school students across the country.

After a rigorous evaluation by a panel of academic experts, independently verified by Deloitte & Touche, 13-year-old Rhema-Love Abraham of Precepts Learning Field, Lagos, emerged as the overall winner, receiving a ₦5 million scholarship and a ₦1 million grant for her school.

Bernice Michael of S-TEE High School, Lagos, placed second with a ₦2 million scholarship, while Afopefoluwa Tofio-Jacobs of D-IVY College, Ogun State, took third place, winning a ₦1 million scholarship.

A major highlight of this year’s edition was the introduction of the Teachers’ Insurance Awareness Prize, an innovation aimed at recognising educators who champion insurance and financial literacy within their schools and communities.

Mr. Okpe James Chidi, a teacher at Urban Secondary School, Umuna Orlu, Imo State, emerged as the inaugural winner, receiving a ₦1 million cash award and a ₦500,000 grant for his school. His project, which enhanced students’ understanding of insurance and financial management, was lauded for its innovation, scope, and measurable impact.

Speaking at the ceremony, Niyi Onifade, Sector Head, Heirs Insurance Group, congratulated all participants for their creativity and drive, reaffirming the Group’s dedication to investing in education and youth development.

“We are proud of every student and teacher who participated in this year’s Essay Championship,” Onifade said.

“Their creativity, curiosity, and commitment reflect the future we envision — one built on knowledge, innovation, and resilience. At Heirs Insurance Group, we believe financial literacy is a catalyst for empowerment and national transformation,” Onifade added.

The Heirs Insurance Essay Championship remains one of the Group’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, focused on fostering insurance awareness, financial inclusion, and critical thinking among young Nigerians. With the addition of the Teachers’ Prize, the programme now extends its impact beyond students to the educators shaping Nigeria’s next generation of financially literate citizens.