The Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition is a national initiative by the Nigerian Air Force aimed at building ideas, creativity, and forward thinking among Nigerian youths. Through the CAS Literary Competition, young Nigerians express knowledge, innovation, and patriotism across writing and creative arts.
The Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition for the 2025/2026 cycle opened on 21 November 2025 and closes on 28 February 2026. All entries for the CAS Literary Competition are submitted online through dedicated portals provided by the Nigerian Air Force.
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This edition of the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition was introduced under the leadership of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke. The CAS Literary Competition welcomes original submissions in three categories:
- Essay
- Poetry
- Art
Key Details
NAF CAS Literary Competition runs 21 Nov 2025 to 28 Feb 2026; entries cover essay, poetry, and art by age group.
- Deadline: 28 Feb 2026 (all categories)
- Essay: 18-24 yrs, max 2,000 words, upload PDF (1MB)
- Poetry: 12-17 yrs, max 300 words, English, upload PDF (1MB)
- Art: 5-11 yrs, painting/drawing + caption, upload PDF (1MB)
- Photo: jpg/jpeg/png, max 150kb; add valid phone + email
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Theme for the 2025/2026 Edition
The Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition runs on the theme
“Optimising Emerging Technologies for Enhanced Air Operations”.
Every entry submitted to the CAS Literary Competition must align with this theme and the NAF Day 2026 focus stated under each category. Entries that fail to reflect this direction risk disqualification.
Who Can Apply
Participation in the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition is open to Nigerian children and youths within approved age bands under the CAS Literary Competition guidelines.
• Primary schools, ages 5 to 11
• Secondary schools, ages 12 to 17
• Tertiary institutions, ages 18 to 24
Applicants must select the correct category under the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition before submission on the CAS Literary Competition portal.
General Submission Requirements
All applicants in the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition must submit the following through the CAS Literary Competition portals.
• Valid phone number and email address
• Passport photograph in jpg, jpeg, or png format, not more than 150kb
• Literary or artwork file in PDF format, not more than 1MB
File size and format rules under the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition are strict across the CAS Literary Competition categories.
CAS Essay Competition for Tertiary Institutions
The essay category under the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition targets tertiary institution students through the CAS Literary Competition framework.
Eligibility and Rules
• Applicants must be 18 to 24 years old
• Essay topic must reflect the NAF Day 2026 theme
• Essay content must be original
Word Count and Submission
• Maximum of 2,000 words
• Upload through the CAS Essay portal
• Deadline remains 28 February 2026
Essay Prizes
• 1st prize, N2,000,000
• 2nd prize, N1,500,000
• 3rd prize, N1,000,000
CAS Poetry Competition for Secondary Schools
The poetry category forms part of the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition under the CAS Literary Competition for secondary schools.
Eligibility and Rules
• Ages 12 to 17
• Poem must align with the NAF Day 2026 theme
• English language only
• Original content
Submission Rules
• Maximum of 300 words
• Upload through the CAS Poetry portal
• Deadline is 28 February 2026
Poetry Prizes
• 1st prize, N1,500,000
• 2nd prize, N1,250,000
• 3rd prize, N1,000,000
CAS Art Competition for Primary Schools
The art category of the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition supports creativity among primary school pupils within the CAS Literary Competition.
Eligibility and Rules
• Ages 5 to 11
• Artwork must reflect the NAF Day 2026 theme
• Painting and drawing only
• Original work with a short title or caption
Submission Details
• Upload artwork through the CAS Art portal
• Deadline is 28 February 2026
Art Prizes
• 1st prize, N1,000,000
• 2nd prize, N750,000
• 3rd prize, N500,000
How to Apply
Interested applicants are hereby go to portals for the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition below
APPLY HERE
Entry opens 21 November 2025 and now closes 28 February 2026
