Nigerian School, 32 Others in Final Stage for $100,000 Zayed Sustainability Prize

Three Sub-Saharan Africa schools, including Nigeria’s Gwani Ibrahim Dan Hajja Academy; Lighthouse Primary and Secondary School (Mauritius), and USAP Community School (Zimbabwe) are finalists in project-based, student-led sustainability solutions in the UAE’s pioneering global sustainability and humanitarian award – Zayed Sustainability Prize, announced by the jury.

The Zayed Sustainability Prize’s Jury selected the 33 finalists from 5,213 entries received across six categories: Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action and Global High Schools – a 15 per cent increase in submissions compared to last year. The new Climate Action category, introduced to mark the UAE’s Year of Sustainability and hosting of COP28 UAE, received 3,178 nominations.

In the categories, each winner receives $600,000. Each of the six winning global high schools receives up to $100,000. The winners will be announced at the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony on December 1 during the 28th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change COP28 UAE, to be held from November 30 to December 12.

The prize is a tribute to the legacy of the late founding father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It aims to drive sustainable development and humanitarian action by recognising and rewarding organisations and high schools that are delivering innovative sustainable solutions across the categories. For over 15 years, through its 106 winners, the Prize has positively impacted the lives of over 378 million people in 151 countries.

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, said the finalists exemplify the remarkable ingenuity and unwavering commitment to shaping a more sustainable and resilient future for the planet.
“The Zayed Sustainability Prize carries forward the enduring legacy of UAE’s visionary leader, Sheikh Zayed, whose commitment to sustainability and humanitarianism continues to inspire us. This legacy remains the guiding light of our nation’s aspirations, propelling us forward in our mission to uplift communities around the globe.

“Over the past 15 years, the prize has been a powerful force for positive change, transforming the lives of over 378 million people across 151 countries. We have incentivised solutions that are driving climate and economic progress in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

This cycle, we received a record-breaking number of submissions from every continent. The innovations put forth by the finalists reflect a profound dedication to inclusivity and an unyielding resolve to bridge critical gaps.

“These solutions directly align with the four pillars of the COP28 UAE agenda: fast-tracking a just and equitable energy transition, fixing climate finance, focusing on people, lives and livelihoods and underpinning everything with full inclusivity. The work of these sustainability pioneers will contribute practical solutions for climate progress that protect the planet, improve livelihoods, and save lives.”

Through the prize’s 106 winners to date, 11 million people have gained access to safe drinking water, 54 million homes have gained access to reliable energy, 3.5 million people have gained access to more nutritious food, and over 728,000 people have gained access to affordable healthcare.