Abuja: Miss NANS Nigeria, a beauty pageant designed to foster peaceful and violence-free higher education institutions across Nigeria, is set to debut, say its organisers.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event is organised by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in partnership with Messengers of Peace (MOP), an international peace agency. At a news conference in Abuja, the organisers announced the pageant’s theme, ‘Sustaining Long-Lasting Peace through the Promotion of Decent/Violence-Free Learning Institutions,’ and revealed that the grand finale will take place in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following nationwide auditions from various zones.
Samson Adeyemi, NANS National Public Relations Officer, stated that the initiative aims to showcase the leadership, intellect, and peace-building potential of Nigerian students in higher education. He highlighted the importance of addressing campus violence, cultism, drug abuse, harassment, and other vices that threaten peace and academic progress in Nigerian schools.
Adeyemi emphasized that education thrives in a peaceful environment, and through Miss NANS Nigeria, the goal is to groom student leaders and peace ambassadors who will campaign for safer and more decent campuses. He urged government entities, school authorities, civil society, and the public to support the initiative, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to build peaceful and productive learning spaces.
The organisers announced that auditions will be held in three zones: Lagos for South-West states, Akwa Ibom for South-South and South-East states, and the FCT for all northern states. From each zone, 100 students will be selected for a final audition, and 100 contestants will be invited to camp in Abuja for the final selection process.
From the camping stage, 60 finalists will compete at the grand finale. Judges will select seven winners, one from each geopolitical zone and one overall Miss NANS Nigeria. Prizes for the six runners-up include N1 million and a laptop each, while the crowned Miss NANS 2025/2026 will receive N1 million and a brand-new car.
Dr Suleiman Adejoh, National President of MOP, called on corporate bodies, government, and individuals to support the initiative, which aims to unite students and promote peace in Nigerian institutions. He noted that the pageant emphasizes the ‘Beauty and Brain’ concept, encouraging student participation in national peace-building efforts through creativity, leadership, and cultural awareness.
Adejoh highlighted the pageant’s innovative use of local dialects during screenings to preserve indigenous languages and ensure the event resonates with Nigerians from diverse backgrounds. He stressed that this approach would encourage contestants to connect with their roots, learn their languages, and promote cultural pride alongside academic excellence and peace advocacy.