Team Nigeria has won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China.

The achievement was announced by the Nigeria Spelling Bee on its official Facebook page on Sunday.

The organisation wrote, “Team Nigeria has won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category at the Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China.”

Also confirming the feat on Sunday, Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, announced that two of its students, Maryam Yusuf and Abdurrahman Yusuf, won medals at the global competition.

The school wrote on its Facebook page, “Ar-Raheem International College students Maryam YUSUF and Abdurrahman YUSUF won medals at Spelling Bee World Cup final in Shanghai, China 2026.”

PUNCH Online had earlier reported that Team Nigeria was making its first-ever appearance at the Spelling Bee World Cup after qualifying through the Nigeria Spelling Bee and the African Spelling Bee Championship.

The four-member team comprised 2026 African Spelling Bee Junior champion, Oluwadamilola Adeolu of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti; Abdurrahman Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin; Chinedu Okediachi of Madonna International Schools, Asaba; and Maryam Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin.

Announcing Nigeria’s historic participation before the tournament, the Nigeria Spelling Bee had said, “For the first time ever, Nigeria will be represented at the Spelling Bee World Cup, as four outstanding young spellers prepare to compete in Shanghai, China, from 10th–20th July 2026.

“Their journey has been one of excellence and determination—beginning with the Nigeria Spelling Bee, progressing to the African Spelling Bee Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe, and now advancing to the world stage.”

The organisers also noted that the students were representing not only Nigeria but the African continent.

“As they compete against the world’s finest young spellers, they carry with them the hopes of a nation and the pride of an entire continent. Join us in wishing Team Nigeria a successful outing as they make history at the Spelling Bee World Cup 2026. Go Team Nigeria!” the statement added.

Ahead of the competition, Adeolu had expressed excitement about competing on the global stage.

“I am proud to be part of the Nigerian Spelling Bee and African Spelling Bee delegation travelling to the Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China, to represent Nigeria,” she had said.

She added, “I am looking forward to the competition itself, meeting new spellers across the world, boosting my vocabulary and confidence on the global stage and also raising the trophy and bringing it back home.”

PUNCH Online also reported that Adeolu qualified for the World Cup after emerging champion of the Junior category at the African Spelling Bee Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she outperformed contestants from more than 30 African countries.

At the continental competition, Abdurrahman Yusuf finished third, while Nigeria emerged the second-best overall team, further strengthening the country’s growing reputation in international spelling competitions.

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The Chief Executive Officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr Muhammed Aminu Muhammed, has declared that technical education remains Nigeria’s strongest pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and national economic growth.

Speaking during an inspection of the 2026 May/June NABTEB examinations at the Federal Technical College, Awka, Anambra State capital, Muhammed said the future of Nigeria depends on equipping young people with practical skills that will enable them to create jobs.

His visit to the Awka centre is part of a nationwide monitoring exercise covering examination centres across Nigeria.

He said, “Technical education remains the Nigeria’s strongest pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and national economic growth.

“The future of Nigeria depends on equipping young people with practical skills that will enable them to create jobs rather than wait endlessly for white-collar jobs.

“Effective leadership within a school naturally reflects in students’ performance and the quality of teaching and learning.”

Muhammed disclosed that more than 167,000 candidates are sitting for this year’s examinations nationwide, while 226 candidates are taking their papers at the Federal Technical College, Awka.

During the exercise, the NABTEB Registrar inspected the Physics practical examination, monitored the organisation of candidates, interacted with officials supervising the exercise and assessed the overall conduct of the examination.

He expressed satisfaction with what he witnessed at the Awka centre, describing it as one of the most organised technical colleges visited during his nationwide assessment tour.

He commended the way the practical examination was organised, noting that candidates were carefully grouped to ensure the exercise ran smoothly despite the large number of students involved.

Reflecting on the nationwide exercise, Muhammed said this year’s examinations have shown remarkable improvement over those conducted in 2025.

He attributed the progress to stronger supervision by school principals, better coordination by NABTEB officials and increased support from security agencies working to safeguard the examination process.

“In every area, this year’s examination is better than last year’s,” he added.

The Registrar stressed that the practical component of NABTEB examinations remains central to the Board’s mission of producing graduates with employable skills that can transform their lives and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy.

He maintained that expanding technical education is essential if Nigeria hopes to reduce unemployment, empower young people and build a more productive economy.

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The United States Mission in Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening bilateral relations through educational and professional exchange programmes, saying investments in people continue to deliver lasting benefits for both Nigeria and the United States.

The mission said Nigerian beneficiaries of US-sponsored exchange programmes had returned home with new skills, wider professional networks and a renewed commitment to promoting good governance, entrepreneurship and innovation.

The position was contained in a statement issued by the US Mission in Nigeria on Tuesday following a #Freedom250 event held to celebrate Nigerian alumni of various US exchange programmes.

According to the mission, the event formed part of activities marking the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence, while reaffirming America’s commitment to partnerships built on mutual benefit.

The mission also explained that the exchange programmes were designed not only to expose participants to educational and professional opportunities in the United States but also to equip them with knowledge and networks that contribute to Nigeria’s development.

The mission’s statement partly read, “What an outstanding #Freedom250 event with our U.S. exchange alumni here in Nigeria! Fulbright scholars, YALI Fellows, IVLP participants, and other exchange programs gathered to demonstrate something the United States has always known: investment in people delivers lasting returns – for Nigeria, and for America.

“These alumni didn’t just visit the United States. They returned home with new skills, expanded networks, and a commitment to the kind of transparent governance, entrepreneurship, and innovation that drives real economic growth, benefiting both countries.

“As the United States marks 250 years of independence, events like this one make clear that U.S. engagement in Africa is about building capable, sovereign partners who choose to work with us because it works for them.”

The mission further noted that the US Country Public Affairs Counsellor, Lee McManis, highlighted the role of Nigerian exchange alumni in deepening bilateral relations during his welcome remarks. The mission also praised the leadership demonstrated by the alumni, saying it reflected the enduring value of educational and professional exchanges.

It stated, “In Country Public Affairs Counsellor Lee McManis’s welcome remarks, he underscored how the values imbued in America’s 250th celebratory year are reflected in our thousands of Nigerian exchange alumni, always working to make the U.S.-Nigeria relationship stronger. To our exchange alumni: your leadership is proof that diplomacy delivers results.”

The statement added that the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission in Nigeria, Keith Heffern, encouraged participants to continue serving as ambassadors of stronger US-Nigeria cooperation.

In Charge d’Affaires Keith Heffern’s address to the participants, he emphasised, “Your success is the argument for why more Nigerians should choose to partner with the United States in business, tech, agriculture, and the creative economy. So keep building. Keep leading.”

The United States has maintained a long-standing partnership with Nigeria through a range of educational, leadership and professional exchange programmes, including the Fulbright Programme, the Young African Leaders Initiative and the International Visitor Leadership Program.

Thousands of Nigerians have participated in these initiatives over the years, with many going on to occupy leadership positions in government, business, academia, civil society and the creative industry.

The programmes form part of broader U.S. efforts to promote people-to-people diplomacy, economic cooperation and democratic governance between the two countries.

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