Miss Nigeria withdraws registration fee for 2018 pageant

The organisers of Miss Nigeria say there will be no registration fee for the 2018 edition of the pageant.

The announcement was made on Tuesday during a press conference held in Lagos.

According to the pageant’s organisers, the decision to make the form free is “in a bid to make this year’s edition an all-inclusive one” and “to prevent financial restraints on the part of young ladies who are truly deserving of the ultimate title”.

A statement released by the organisers said: “The competition is open to young ladies within the 18-25 age bracket who possess exemplary leadership qualities and can align excellently with the organisation’s mission to empower women beyond beauty.

“The organisation in its bid to bring back the essence of its establishment has highlighted six core targets that would be crucial in the selection of the ultimate winner.

“These targets — education, environment, arts & culture, health, financial management and technology.

“This year’s competition will not be business as usual as the winner will not be selected based on physical attributes alone but factors such as intellectual prowess, ability to function effectively within the six core targets.”

Ezinne Akudo, 2013 Miss Nigeria who was recently appointed the creative director of the pageant, said: “We are committed to finding a young lady who defies the stereotypical perception of beauty queens as just superficial.

“Miss Nigeria 2018 must embody all the attributes of a strong female leader. She must be beautiful, socially conscious and committed to positively influencing young women across the country and continent.”

The winner of the pageant will be awarded N3 million, a luxury apartment and an automobile.

Call for entry starts September 26 and will end October 14. To register, interested contestants are expected to visit MissNigeria.ng.