Lekki Port has rewarded University of Lagos students with a total of N1 million in prizes following an art competition that celebrated the deep seaport's history and development. The competition, which took place on November 5, 2026, drew 27 entries from students, comprising 16 paintings and 11 sculptures focused on the port and its host communities in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
Eunice Kolawole claimed the top prize in the painting category, earning N500,000 for first place. Samuel Idowu Ogundipe secured second place with N300,000, while Favour Sinmiloluwa Akande and Bonuedi Emmanuella Dzifa jointly won third place, sharing N150,000 in prize money.
In the sculpture category, a collaborative team of three artists—Joseph Udoh, Tope Ebini, and Israel Morenikeji—took the top honors. The competition demonstrated Lekki Port's commitment to supporting emerging artistic talent from Nigeria's premier educational institutions while fostering creative expressions about the significance of the port facility to the region.
The initiative reflects Lekki Port's broader engagement with the local community and educational sector. By sponsoring this art competition, the deep seaport operator provided a platform for students to explore and articulate the cultural and economic importance of maritime infrastructure through visual arts.
The event underscores the growing recognition of art competitions as vehicles for both celebrating creative achievement and building community connections between major commercial enterprises and academic institutions. The diversity of submissions—with nearly equal numbers of paintings and sculptures—highlighted the broad appeal of the competition's theme among UNILAG's student body.
Winners of art competitions like this often leverage their recognition to advance their artistic careers, gaining visibility and financial support crucial for emerging artists in Nigeria's competitive creative sector.