Applications are now open - see below to apply

Applications are now open - see below to apply

THE 2025 CRADLER SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD

The Cradler social impact award is offered to an individual who demonstrates both academic excellence and a commitment to understanding and/or solving a social issue in Nigeria.

The award winning prize is ₦1,000,000 and a full scholarship on Cradler study abroad services - Cradler clients have been offered admissions into top US, UK and Canadian Universities including Brown, Dartmouth, UC Berkeley, University of Toronto

Learn more about the award

SELECTION PROCESS

  1. Review of applications: All submitted applications will be reviewed for selection to the interview round.

  2. Semifinalists will be selected and invited to be interviewed by a diverse and highly qualified panel (see below for previous interviewers)

  3. Finalists will then be selected and invited to Abuja for the Cradler Social Impact Award event where a winner will be crowned

  4. The following are the minimum requirements to apply:

    • Level of study: SS2 (grade 11) and SS3 (grade 12) students, gap year students and year 1 undergraduates.

    • Academic Standing: Applicants need to meet at least one of the following minimum requirements

      • 85% (or equivalent) cumulative average in previous academic year

      • A1’s, B2’s and/or B3’s on the WASSCE.

      • 1100+ SAT score

      • IELTS score of 7 or TOEFL score of 95

      • BBB on Cambridge IGSCEs

      • cGPA of 3.50/5.00 (or the equivalent of 70% depending on your university)

    • Essays:

      • Many of the goods and services that we need to survive as human beings are purchased using money. In your opinion, what is the most important thing money can buy and why? (Max 250 words)

      • Drawing from your own educational experience in Nigeria, how would you use or improve Lena's technology to make a meaningful impact in the education system? What challenges would you address, what innovations would you introduce, and what future do you envision for education in Africa? (Max 250 words)

2023 Winner
Nwodo Chioma

2023 Finalists

  • Odedele, Covenant

    CAREER GOAL: Medical Doctor

    “I’m very glad to have scaled the interview stage and made the top 5 finalists. Winning the award would mean a lot to me and will be a turning point in my academic and social impact journey.”

  • Nwodo, Chioma

    CAREER GOAL: Architect

    “One of my future goals is to design effective and affordable houses for low income individuals as well as high profile clients. I’m extremely joyful and grateful to God to have been chosen from all the amazing and brilliant interviewees.”

  • Kingsley-Odia, Osemudiame

    CAREER GOAL: Engineer

    “I would like to pioneer sustainable nanomedicine in geriatric healthcare. I am excited to be a finalist as this will foster recognition and support of Eden, an ecological NGO dedicated to restoring our world to its original state: the beautiful Garden of Eden.”

  • Awele, Chiekwene

    CAREER GOAL: Biomedical Engineer

    “Being in the finals for me is not just about winning a competition. It is a step towards a dream I have been chasing. I hope to be the ideal paradigm of social impact and let kids out there from similar background know it’s possible to accomplish anything no matter how “fairytaleish” it looks.”

  • Ebere, Chinemeze

    CAREER GOAL: Medical Doctor

    “Making it to the finals makes me feel a sense of communism as it mirrors the fact that my ideas can make a social impact. It will only make me strive to clinch the grand prize.”

2023 Semifinalists

The following 15 applicants were selected to the interview stage for the JE-CACS Social Impact Award. 5 were selected to proceed to the finals by a highly diverse and qualified social-impact interview panel.

Here is how all eligible applicants responded to the essay prompts

Most important thing money can buy

Most pressing issue facing your society

2023 Interviewers

  • Dr. Chinyere U. Onubogu

    NIGERIA

    Dr. Chinyere Ukamaka Onubogu is a senior lecturer of pediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, and consultant pediatrician at the affiliated Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria. She is a fellow of the West African College of Physicians and National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. She holds a Master’s degree in Maternal and Child Health. She has significantly contributed to minimizing the impact of childhood infectious diseases through research, provision of specialized clinical services and leadership in the field. As the president of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Anambra State Chapter, she has led the association to embark on numerous socially impactful projects. Through collaboration with fellow researchers, she is committed to finding innovative social solutions to healthcare challenges in Nigeria. She believes that quality education is the most powerful tool to transform the society and takes special interest in mentoring young people.

  • Uchenna Ejiogu

    NIGERIA

    Mr. Uchenna Ejiogu is the Regional Director (Nigeria) for Cradler Academic Consulting Services. A serial enterpreneur at heart, he runs a variety of business. Most notably, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Peakmint Star Services Ltd., a professional cleaning and pest control company. He is also the Chief Executive Office of Marathonlands Homes, a real estate company based in Nigeria. He holds a bachelors degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. Outside of work, he enjoys staying up-to-date on latest business industry trends and exploring new ways to better the Nigerian society.

  • Diana Alvarado

    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)

    Diana Alvarado is the inaugural College and Career Success Program Manager at The Upward Project—a career development nonprofit organization serving high achieving, low income, first-generation students from the Boston area who matriculate to selective colleges and universities. In this role, Diana recruits and supports rising first-year college students in their acclimation to college and the socio-emotional exploration of their career d pathways. Diana was born and raised in Queens, New York and is a first-generation college student that graduated from Dartmouth in 2022 with a double major in Cognitive Science and Italian Studies. Throughout her college and professional career, she developed a passion for education equity and college access work, supporting multiple organizations in the pursuit of equal opportunities for all students

  • Dr. Peace Egejuru

    UNITED KINGDOM (UK)

    Dr. Peace Egejuru is a part-time staff member of the University of Salford, UK where is is actively involved with student engagement, orientation and induction. She was an associate lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire. She obtained a BEng degree in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Technology Owerri and holds a masters in petroleum and gas engineering from the University of Salford, UK.

  • Mubarak Idoko

    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA) & NIGERIA

    Mr. Mubarak Idoko is an Engineer at Microsoft. He is also the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Lena, a startup building a contextualized learning management system to revolutionize educational sector in Nigeria. He went to Baptist High School in Jos, Nigeria, after which he proceeded to complete two degrees, BA and BE, in Computer Engineering from Dartmouth College, US. Besides engineering and entrepreneurship, Mubarak is also very interested in cars and automotive technology.