ARSO 14th Continental Essay Competition 2026/2027

The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) has opened entries for its 14th Continental Essay Competition. Students explore practical solutions that can strengthen trade between African countries.

Essay theme

Advancing Intra-African Trade through Conformity Assessment and Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs): Unlocking the Full Potential of the Cotton-to-Clothing Value Chain under the AfCFTA.

Who can apply

• Citizens or residents of a participating African country
• Undergraduate or postgraduate students at a recognised tertiary institution, in any discipline
• Applicants under 35 years old
• One original, unpublished entry per person

Essay requirements

• 1,000 to 1,200 words (not counting references and author details), in English or French
• Century Gothic, size 12, double-spaced
• Submitted as a PDF or Word (.docx) file
• No plagiarism and no AI-generated content. Such entries are disqualified

What to submit

• The completed ARSO registration form (download it from the official page)
• A copy of your student ID card or passport
• Your essay

Send these through your country's National Standards Body or the country-specific email listed on the official page. In Nigeria the national standards body is the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

Prizes

• 1st place: US$1,000, a certificate and travel sponsorship to the 33rd ARSO General Assembly
• 2nd place: US$800 and a certificate
• 3rd place: US$500 and a certificate
• National winners receive certificates and prizes from their national bodies

Important dates

• 3 September 2026: call for entries opened
• 23 April 2027: last day for participating countries to send their selected entries to ARSO
• July 2027: continental winners announced

Your national body will set an earlier cut-off than ARSO's. Confirm it on the official page or with your national standards body, and do not wait until April.