A UK-based Nigerian academic, Emma Etim, has been named among the 2026 U21 Leaders of the Future, an international recognition announced at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.
The award was presented during the Universitas 21 Annual Network Meeting and Leadership Summit held in Glasgow on April 21, according to reports.
Etim, a doctoral researcher and postgraduate teaching assistant at the University of Nottingham, was recognised for his academic excellence, leadership qualities, and efforts in promoting wider access to higher education.
His research focuses on environmental responsibility, particularly how it is shaped by cultural, institutional, and behavioural systems, with broader implications for sustainability and policy development.
The work, supported by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund in Nigeria, examines how environmental responsibility is constructed and understood across different societal contexts.
Reacting to the recognition, Etim said the award reinforces his belief that research becomes more impactful when it helps people imagine new possibilities and drives meaningful change.
