The Federal Government of Nigeria has awarded ₦200,000 to Nafisah Abdullahi, the nation’s World Best in English at the TeenEagle Global Finals, in recognition of her exceptional performance in the competition.
At a formal ceremony in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, accompanied by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suiwaba Ahmad, presented the cash reward to the 17-year-old pupil of Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC), Yobe State.
The award was presented in honour of Nafisah’s victory against more than 20,000 participants from 69 countries to emerge as the overall champion in the English language category of the 2025 TeenEagle Global Finals held in London, United Kingdom.
The TeenEagle competition, known for its rigorous assessment of English proficiency, critical thinking, and communication skills, is organised by Oscar Education and recognised by Ofqual-regulated bodies, with participation spanning multiple continents.
At the event, Dr Alausa affirmed that the government is prioritising foundational education to reduce the population of out-of-school children.
He highlighted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to human capital development through heightened investment across education, health, and social protection sectors.
“You are the future of Nigeria, and you have made us proud. For the first time in the history of our nation, we have one of the highest budgetary allocations to education,” he said.
“Each time we approach the President for support in the sector, his response has been a resounding ‘yes’ because he believes in you, the children of Nigeria. Your success gives us the confidence to ask for more, and we will continue to do so on your behalf.”
Dr Alausa further described Nafisah as “a beacon of excellence and inspiration to Nigerian youths” and announced that the Federal Government would also award over ₦100,000 to other Nigerian students who excelled in other categories of the competition.
“This remarkable achievement is more than medals—it is proof that Nigerian youth, when given the right opportunities, can compete and win anywhere in the world,” the Minister said.
“To Nafisa, Oluwasemilore, Rukkaya, Cara, Jayden, Hadiza, Mansata and Fatim: medal or not, you are champions. You have carried Nigeria proudly onto the global stage and inspired millions of your peers to dream bigger and reach higher.”
Dr Alausa described the girls as “tomorrow’s leaders and ambassadors of Nigeria.”
He added: “As a personal gesture of appreciation, I gave each winner a monetary gift from my own resources to encourage and empower them to continue striving for the highest levels of academic success.”
Expressing her gratitude, Nafisah acknowledged President Tinubu, the education ministers, NTIC, and her parents for fostering an enabling environment for her success .
Also present, Professor Abba Idris, Yobe State Commissioner for Basic Education, commended the Federal Government’s gesture and reiterated the state’s ongoing celebration of educational milestones.
Earlier recognition came from the Atiku Abubakar Foundation, which awarded fully funded scholarships to Nafisah, Rukaiya Fema, and Khadija Kalli in honour of their “remarkable success” at the global finals.
This academic triumph stands in contrast to recent government expenditure on sporting achievements, notably the $100,000 awarded to both the Super Falcons and D’Tigress, which has sparked a national conversation about the value placed on academic versus athletic accomplishments.
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