Manny Ita
The 8th edition of the Hadiza Ibrahim Aliyu Schools Festival (HIASFEST), widely recognized as Africa’s largest teen arts festival, officially drew to a close today, January 17, 2026, at the Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna, Niger State. The event solidified the city’s standing as a premier incubator for Nigeria’s emerging creative class, bringing together hundreds of students for a week of high-stakes competition across literary, performing, and scientific disciplines. This year’s festival saw a significant escalation in institutional support, with a total prize pool exceeding ₦30 million distributed among the winning participants and institutions.
The “Overall Best School” award, the festival’s most coveted honor, was presented alongside a ₦2,000,000 cash grant specifically earmarked for the development of a grand science or innovation project to be showcased at the 2027 edition. In the individual categories, which spanned eleven core areas including Spoken Word, Painting, and Drama, first-place winners were awarded ₦150,000 each, while those in second and third place received ₦100,000 and ₦50,000 respectively. A major highlight of the closing ceremony was the announcement of the Nigeria Prize for Teen Authors, where the top three works in poetry and prose were selected for full professional publishing contracts.
Operating under the theme “Let’s Make It Happen,” the 2026 circuit moved beyond mere performance to emphasize the practical application of creative ideas. The festival served as a high-profile talent-scouting ground, with scouts from various international arts organizations and Nollywood production houses monitoring the sessions. Organizers confirmed that two HIASFEST ambassadors have already been selected for sponsorship to the upcoming Broadway Theatre Festival in Ghana. One of the most rigorous components of the week involved the “on-the-spot” contests, where students were required to produce original poetry, short stories, and non-fiction within 45 minutes of receiving surprise prompts.
Festival founder BM Dzukogi addressed the crowd during the final proceedings, reflecting on the growth of the initiative from a regional gathering into a nationwide movement for youth empowerment. “We are not just giving out trophies; we are setting forth a new generation of Nigerian craftsmen and women,” Dzukogi stated. The ceremony was attended by a broad spectrum of dignitaries, including representatives from the Aliyu Trust Foundation and various literary icons, who praised the “Minna Model” for its success in fostering both the arts and digital innovation among the Nigerian youth.
