BIC BTS EXPERIENCE CENTRE – DEBATE COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS

 

Event: BIC BTS Experience Centre
Dates: 28th – 30th August 2026 
Venue: Ikeja City Mall, Lagos, Nigeria

Please read these Competition Terms & Conditions carefully before participating. By participating in the Competition, participants agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions.

 

1.  COMPETITION OVERVIEW

1.1 The BIC BTS Experience Centre Literary & Debate Competition (“Competition”) is organised by Lucky Stationary Nig Ltd, a subsidiary of BIC Group (hereinafter referred to as “the Organiser”) to encourage creativity, critical thinking, confidence, public speaking and intellectual engagement amongst secondary school students.

1.2 Participation in the Competition is free, however, subject to invitation and successful registration in accordance with the applicable registration requirements and eligibility criteria communicated to invited participants

1.3 .

 

2.  ELIGIBILITY

2.1 The Competition is open only to invited secondary schools participating in the BIC BTS Experience Centre and that have successfully completed the registration process.

2.2 Participation in the Competition shall be limited to a  maximum of ten (10) registered secondary school teams. Registration shall be subject to availability and acceptance by the Organiser.

2.3 Each participating school shall ensure that all participating students satisfy the eligibility requirements communicated by the Organiser prior to the registration. Only students who are bona fide students of the registered participating school at the time of the Competition shall be eligible to participate.

2.4 Each participating school represents and warrants that it has obtained all necessary approvals, permissions and valid parental or legal guardian consents required for each participating students to participate in the Competition in accordance with applicable laws, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023. Such consent shall, where applicable, cover the student’s participation in the Competition, attendance at Competition-related activities, photography, filming, audio and video recording, and the use of the student’s name, image, likeness, voice and recordings for purposes connected with the Competition.

2.5 The Organiser reserves the right to reject or cancel any registration, or disqualify or exclude any school or student, where the applicable eligibility requirements, consent requirements or other terms of this Agreement have not been satisfied.

2.6 Each participating school shall compete only with the debate team submitted during the registration process and approved by the Organiser . Any proposed substitution of a participant after registration shall require the Organiser’s  prior written approval and the substitute student shall satisfy all applicable eligibility requirements 2.7 Employees of BIC, Octoplus Marketing Limited, their affiliates, contractors who are involved in organising the Competition, members of the judging panel, and their immediate family members shall not be eligible to participate in the Competition.

3.  REGISTRATION

3.1 All participating schools must complete the prescribed registration process before the registration deadline communicated by the Organiser.

3.2 Registration shall only be completed by an authorised representative of the participating school.

3.3 The Organiser reserves the right to reject incomplete, inaccurate, misleading, fraudulent orn late registrations.

3.4 The Organiser reserves the right to verify the eligibility, identity and registration details of any participating school or participant at any time before or during the Competition.

4.  COMPETITION FORMAT

4.1 The Competition shall be conducted over three (3) days as follows:

Day One

  1. Ten (10) participating schools shall compete in live debate sessions.
  2. At the conclusion of the day’s debates, four (4) schools shall be eliminated based on the judging criteria communicated by the Organiser. .

Day Two

  1. The remaining six (6) schools shall compete on a different debate topic.
  2. At the conclusion of the day’s debates, four (4) additional schools shall be eliminated based on the judging criteria communicated by the Organiser..

Day Three (Final)

  1. The remaining two (2) schools shall compete in the final debate.
  2. Following the final debate, the judges shall determine the overall winner in accordance with the applicable judging criteria..
    • Debate topics shall be selected by the Organiser and may focus on education, innovation, national development or such other themes as may be determined by the Organiser.
    • Participating teams shall report to the venue at the time communicated by the Organiser and complete all applicable registration and check-in requirements before competing.
    • Each participating team shall argue the position assigned by the Organiser or judging panel and shall not change sides except with the prior approval of the Organiser.
    • Participants shall adhere to the speaking times and procedural rules communicated by the Organiser. Failure to comply  may result in deductions or other penalties determined by the judging panel in accordance with the applicable Competition rules..
    • The Organiser where reasonably necessary reserves the right to amend the debate schedule, format or topicsprovided that any such amendment does not materially alter the fundamental nature of the Competition.

5.  JUDGING

5.1 The Competition shall be judged by an independent panel appointed by the Organiser.

5.2  Participating Schools shall be evaluated in accordance with criteria determined by the judging panel, which may include:

  1. knowledge and understanding of the topic
  2. quality and relevance of arguments
  • critical thinking and analysis
  1. communication and presentation skills
  2. confidence and composure
  3. effectiveness of rebuttals
  • time management and adherence to the competition rules
  • overall team performance
    • The decision of the judging panel shall be final and binding in respect of the outcome of each debate and the Competition, except in cases of manifest error or misconduct.
    • No appeal shall lie against the judges’ assessment or outcome of the Competition, except in cases of manifest error, misconduct or material breach of the Competition rules

6.  PRIZES  

6.1 Subject to compliance with these Terms & Conditions, prizes shall be awarded as follows:

  • First Place: ₦500,000
  • Second Place: ₦300,000
  • Third Place: ₦200,000 

6.2 All participating schools may receive consolation gifts consisting of BIC products or other promotional items at the Organiser’s discretion.

6.3 Prizes are non-transferable and shall not be exchanged for cash or any alternative prize except as otherwise determined by the Organiser.

6.4 Where applicable, prizes shall be presented and paid to the winning school or its authorised representative subject to the Organiser’s verification requirements.

6.5 The Organiser reserves the right to verify the identity, eligibility and entitlement of any winning school before releasing any prize.  Where the required verification is not satisfactorily completed, the Organiser may withhold or cancel the prize

6.6 Where circumstances beyond the Organiser’s reasonable control make an advertised prize unavailable, the Organiser reserves the right to substitute such prize with another prize of equivalent value

6.7 In the event of a tie, the judging panel shall apply the applicable tie-breaking criteria communicated by the Organiser. The decision of the judging panel shall be final

7.  PARTICIPANT CONDUCT   

7.1 Participants are expected to conduct themselves respectfully and approprately throughout the Competition and shall comply with the reasonable instructions of the Organiser, judges and venue representatives.

7.2  Participants shall not engage in any abusive, threatening, discriminatory, disruptive or otherwise inappropriate conduct towards any participant, judge, Organiser, staff member or other person involved in the Competition

7.3 The Organiser reserves the right to issue a warning, impose a penalty or disqualify a participant or participating school for serious or repeated breaches of this clause or the Competition rules.

8.  DISQUALIFICATION   

8.1 Without prejudice to any other rights or remedies available to the Organiser  under these Terms and Conditions or applicable law, the Organiser reserves the right to disqualify any participant or participating school that:

  1. provides false, misleading or fraudulent information during registration or at any stage of the Competition;
  2. permits an ineligible student or unauthorised participant to compete;
  • uses a participant who is not a bona fide student of the registered school;
  1. engages in, fabrication of facts, statistics or sources, impersonation, cheating or any attempt to unfairly influence the outcome of the Competition;
  2. receives or solicits unauthorised assistance during the Competition;
  3. uses offensive, abusive, discriminatory, threatening or defamatory language or behaviour towards another participant, judge, organiser, staff member or member of the audience;
  • engages in physical intimidation, violence, harassment or deliberately disrupts the Competition or venue;
  • fails to comply with reasonable instructions issued by the Organiser, event officials or judges;
  1. repeatedly or materially breaches the Competition rules, procedures or time limits; or
  2. engages in any conduct which, in the reasonable opinion of the Organiser, compromises the fairness, safety, integrity or reputation of the Competition.

8.2 A disqualified participant or school shall forfeit its right to progress in the Competition, receive any prize or receive any consolation reward, and the Organiser has the liberty to reallocate the affected position where appropriate

8.3 Any decision by the Organiser to disqualify a participant or participating school under this clause shall be final and binding, subject to applicable law.

9.  PUBLICITY   

9.1 By  registering for and participating in the Competition, each participants and participating school consent that Participants may be photographed, filmed and recorded during the Competition, subject to all required parental or legal guardian consents and applicable law..

9.2 Subject to applicable law and the receipt of all necessary parental or guardian consents, Organiser may use photographs, video recordings, names of participating schools and Competition highlights for publicity, promotional, advertising and marketing purposes without additional compensation.

10.  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY   

10.1 Participants retain ownership of any original speeches or other intellectual content created by them for the purposes of the Competition.

10.2 Subject to applicable law and any required parental or legal guardian consents, each participating school, on behalf of its participating students to the extent legally permitted grant Organiser a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to photograph, record, reproduce, edit , publishand use recordings of speeches, presentations and Competition activities for promotional, educational and publicity purposes in any media format.

11.  DATA PROTECTION   

11.1 Personal data collected in connection with the Competition shall be collected and processed in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 and the applicable Privacy Notice.

11.2 Personal data shall be used only for administering the Competition,  communicating with participating schools and participants, announcing winners and related Competition purposes unless additional consent is obtained where required by applicable law..

12.  CANCELLATION OR MODIFICATION

The Organiser reserves the right to postpone, suspend, cancel or modify the Competition or these Terms & Conditions where reasonably necessary due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, operational requirements, safety concerns or compliance with applicable law.

13.  LIMITATION OF LIABILITY   

13.1 To the fullest extent permitted by law, Organiser shall not be liable for any loss, damage, injury, delay or expense arising from participation in the Competition except to the extent caused by the Organiser’s negligence, wilful misconduct or breach of its obligations under these Terms and Conditions..

13.2 Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for fraud, gross negligence or any liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

13.3. Each participating school shall remain responsible for the supervision and conduct of its participating students throughout the Competition and shall ensure that its students comply with these Terms and Conditions and the reasonable instructions of the Organiser

14.  GOVERNING LAW AND ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION  

14.1 These Event Registration Terms & Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

14.2 Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions shall first be referred to mediation at the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse. If unresolved within 30 days, such dispute shall be finally settled by arbitration under the Lagos State Arbitration Law 2009. The seat of arbitration shall be Lagos, Nigeria. The parties hereby irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the High Court of Lagos State for the purpose of seeking interim relief or the enforcement of any arbitral award.