The Centre for African Arts and Festival Studies (CAAFS) of Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) has unveiled a national campus pageant, Campus Queen of Queens 2026, with N6 million in cash prizes for the top three contestants.
The maiden edition, organised in collaboration with Heroes World, is scheduled to hold from December 15 to 19, 2026, at CEEDAPEG Hotels, Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking at the official unveiling on Monday, the Acting Director of CAAFS, Dr Lucy Michael Iseyen, said the initiative was designed to promote young women’s talents, leadership potential, intellectual abilities and cultural awareness beyond conventional beauty pageantry.
Iseyen said the competition was inspired by the vision of AKSU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Otoabasi Akpan, whose establishment of the centre was intended to advance African arts, cultural expression and talent development.
She explained that the competition, themed “Crowning Excellence Among Queens,” was open to female students of universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other recognised tertiary institutions across Nigeria. Previous pageant titles would not be a prerequisite for participation.
According to her, the winner would receive N3 million, while the first and second runners-up would receive N2 million and N1 million, respectively. Other prizes include laptops, iPads and additional rewards. The registration fee is N50,000.
Iseyen called on eligible students, former campus queens, tertiary institutions, student union governments, corporate organisations and government agencies to support the initiative through participation, sponsorship and strategic partnerships.
She added that the event would also promote cultural exchange, national unity and tourism by showcasing Akwa Ibom State’s rich cultural heritage and hospitality.
Also speaking, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre and Film Studies at the University of Uyo, Sunday Umanah, described the initiative as an opportunity to encourage creativity, mentorship and networking among young people from different institutions.
Umanah, who is also the staff adviser to the Uniuyo Royal Council, said the project could enable participants to establish relationships and contacts beyond their campuses while experiencing the cultures of other parts of the country.
Recalling his experience as a student who participated in the Nigerian Universities Theatre Arts Festival (NUTAF), he said the festival had enabled him to visit universities across the country and experience different cultural environments.
He said the pageant could similarly create opportunities for young people to interact across institutional and geographical boundaries, adding that the organisers were committed to building bridges and creating an environment where young people could develop their talents.
Umanah clarified that he attended the unveiling as a member of the local organising committee, rather than as an official representative of the University of Uyo. However, he said he would share information about the competition with members of the Uniuyo Royal Council to enable interested students to explore the opportunity.
He attributed the choice of Akwa Ibom as the starting point to the fact that the initiative’s originator and the centre driving it are based in the state, describing the decision as an opportunity to begin at home before considering wider expansion.
The organisers have called on media organisations to publicise the competition across campuses nationwide as preparations continue for the December event.
