NAF CAS Literary Competition 2026: Apply, Deadline, Prizes
Summary
NAF CAS Literary Competition runs 21 Nov 2025 to 28 Feb 2026; entries cover essay, poetry, and art by age group.
- Deadline: 28 Feb 2026 (all categories)
- Essay: 18-24 yrs, max 2,000 words, upload PDF (1MB)
- Poetry: 12-17 yrs, max 300 words, English, upload PDF (1MB)
- Art: 5-11 yrs, painting/drawing + caption, upload PDF (1MB)
- Photo: jpg/jpeg/png, max 150kb; add valid phone + email
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has called on Nigerian youths to share ideas, creativity, and forward-looking thinking through the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Literary Competition. The competition started on 21 November 2025 and ends 28 February 2026; entries run online through dedicated portals.
This 2025/2026 edition was initiated at the behest of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke. It invites young Nigerians to present original work across three categories: Essay, Art, and Poetry.
Theme for the 2025/2026 Edition
The competition is anchored on the theme: “Optimising Emerging Technologies for Enhanced Air Operations”.
Participants are expected to keep their work tied to the NAF Day 2026 theme (as stated under each category rules); that detail sets the direction of the write-ups, poems, and artwork. A few candidates may miss this point and still submit; that kind of entry can fall flat.
Who Can Apply (Age Bands)
Entry is open to Nigerian children and youth across these groups:
- Primary schools: ages 5-11 years
- Secondary schools: ages 12-17 years
- Tertiary institutions: ages 18-24 years
Each category has its own school level and age bracket; one applicant should match the right bracket before submitting.
General Submission Requirements (Applies Across Categories)
Across the forms, the applicant is asked to provide:
- A valid phone number and email address for contact
- A passport photograph in jpg, jpeg, or png format (not more than 150kb)
- A literary file uploaded in PDF format (not more than 1MB)
These file limits are strict, and the portals request uploads in those exact formats.
CAS Essay Competition (Tertiary Institutions)
The CAS Essay Competition applies to tertiary institutions only.
Eligibility and Topic Rules
- Applicants must be 18-24 years old
- The essay topic should be coined from the NAF Day 2026 theme
- The essay must be the writer’s original thoughts
Word Count and Upload Rules
- The essay must not exceed 2,000 words
- Upload the essay to the CAS Essay submission portal
- Submission must be done not later than 28 February 2026
- Passport photo: jpg/jpeg/png, max 150kb
- Essay file: PDF, max 1MB
Essay Prizes
- 1st position: N2,000,000
- 2nd position: N1,500,000
- 3rd position: N1,000,000
CAS Poetry Competition (Secondary Schools)
The CAS Poetry Competition applies to secondary schools only.
Eligibility and Content Rules
- Applicants must be 12-17 years old
- The poem must align with the NAF Day 2026 theme
- The poem should be original
- The poem must be in English language
Length and Upload Rules
- The poem must not exceed 300 words
- Upload the poem to the CAS Poetry submission portal
- Submission must be done not later than 28 February 2026
- Passport photo: jpg/jpeg/png, max 150kb
- Poetry file: PDF, max 1MB
Poetry Prizes
- 1st position: N1,500,000
- 2nd position: N1,250,000
- 3rd position: N1000,000
CAS Art Competition (Primary Schools)
The CAS Art Competition applies to primary schools only.
Eligibility and Artwork Rules
- Applicants must be 5-11 years old
- Artwork must align with the NAF Day 2026 theme
- The work must be original (not to have been published)
- The entry is limited to painting and drawing
- The artwork should be submitted with a short caption or title
Upload Rules and Deadline
- Upload the artwork to the CAS Art submission portal
- Submission must be done not later than 28 February 26 (as stated)
- Passport photo: jpg/jpeg/png, max 150kb
- Artwork file: PDF, max 1MB
Art Prizes
- 1st position: N1,000,000
- 2nd position: N750,000
- 3rd position: N500,000
Official Website for Full Details
For detailed information, refer to the official CAS Literary Competition website.
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