Two students of Veritas University, Abuja, Anigbogu Olivia Nneka and Joshua Okwoli, have emerged winners of the 2026 Policy Challenge, beating entries from 67 tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The students, both of the Software Engineering Department, competed as Team SMETrust and clinched the top prize at the grand finale of the national policy competition held at the University of Ibadan.
According to a statement by Ben Agande, Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications, Veritas University, the competition attracted 1,371 expressions of interest and 322 policy submissions from students nationwide.
Team SMETrust emerged national champions after a rigorous selection process that included proposal reviews, regional semi-finals and a highly competitive national finale.
The students won with their proposal, the National SME Digital Compliance Interface (NSDCI), a policy framework designed to simplify regulatory and tax compliance for small and medium-sized enterprises through a unified digital platform.
The proposal seeks to reduce the complexities associated with regulatory and tax compliance while strengthening trust and engagement between SMEs and government.
As winners, the Veritas students received a ₦2 million cash prize, paid policy internship opportunities within the FPDI network, additional prizes and professional development opportunities.
The university described the feat as further evidence of the quality and innovative capacity of its students, particularly their ability to develop practical solutions to Nigeria’s development challenges.
The Vice Chancellor of Veritas University, Rev. Fr. Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, congratulated the students and pledged continued institutional support for students competing in national and international competitions.
“This is quite remarkable and a continuation of Veritas’ winning streak at various national and international competitions. We are delighted that our students have continued to make us proud,” Ichoku said.
