Nigeria continues to make its mark on the global stage as Emma Etim and Deborah Adeniran emerged winners at the 2026 Universitas 21 global impact and leaders of the future awards in Glasgow, for their outstanding innovative impact.
The 2026 U21 Award and U21 Leaders of the Future Award winners revealed on April 21 at the Universitas 21 Annual Network Meeting and Leadership Summit, hosted by the University of Glasgow, saw the two Nigerian genius emerging winners.
Emma Etim is an exceptional emerging scholar whose research explores how environmental responsibility is shaped across cultural, institutional, and behavioural systems.
Emma, a postgraduate teaching assistant in Geography at the University of Nottingham, and his work is already influencing international conversations on sustainability and policy.
Beyond research, Emma is committed to widening participation in higher education, mentoring students and working with ‘The Brilliant Club’ to support underrepresented young people.
Speaking about his award, Emma said, “This recognition affirms my belief that research and academic work are most meaningful when they enable others to imagine new possibilities and contribute to meaningful change.”
Emma, who joined a panel on Wednesday April 22, further said, “Opportunity for all: reimagining access to higher education”, contributing insights from his work on widening participation and his experience with The Brilliant Club.”
The session featured prominent figures including Dame Katherine Grainger, Chancellor of the University of Glasgow and Nobel Laureate David MacMillan, exploring how universities can better identify and nurture hidden talent.
Emma graduated from University of Calabar (UNICAL) in 2022, where he studied Public Administration.
Deborah Adeniran, a Nigerian healthcare leader and founder of CancerAid_Africa, whose work has reached millions through cancer awareness, screening, and education programmes, also received an award for her exceptional works.
As programme manager at the International Cancer Centre Abuja, she leads innovative healthcare initiatives addressing critical gaps in cancer care.
Responding to her recognition and award, she said, “Receiving this award is a profound honour and a powerful reminder that the work we do matters.
“Every woman who has accessed screening, every healthcare worker we have trained, every life touched, this recognition belongs to them. I hope this inspires more young Africans to lead change from wherever they stand.”
Deborah participated in the session on Thursday, April 23, the panel deliberated on, “Earning Social Licence: Universities as Civic Powerhouses in a Distrustful Age”, where she brought a powerful civic and healthcare perspective to discussions on trust, public value, and institutional responsibility.
A graduate of Apllied Sciences from Kwara State University, Malete, is a cancer research professional with a postgraduate specialisation in Cancer Research and Precision Oncology from the University of Glasgow.
She works at the intersection of science, partnerships, and community impact, translating research into strategies that drive meaningful change in cancer outcomes across Africa.
The U21 awards continue to recognise outstanding staff contributions to internationalisation across the network, while the leaders of the future awards celebrate students and recent alumni demonstrating exceptional potential to shape the future of global higher education.
The 2026 award saw a record-breaking number of nominations, with over 100 submissions highlighting the breadth and depth of impact across the U21 community.
Jenny Dixon, the provost of Universitas 21, speaking on the award winners, said, “The U21 Award and Leaders of the Future Awards recognise outstanding achievement across our network and the individuals driving meaningful global impact.
“We were particularly pleased that this year our leaders of the future awardees could contribute directly to discussions at the University of Glasgow’s Leadership Summit, bringing fresh perspectives into conversations shaping higher education.”
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