Team Nigeria has won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup held in Shanghai, China, marking a historic milestone for the country’s education sector.
The achievement was announced by the Nigeria Spelling Bee on its official Facebook page.
The organisation stated that Team Nigeria emerged victorious in the Middle School Group Category, securing the Gold Award at the global competition.
Also confirming the feat, Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, announced that two of its students, Maryam Yusuf and Abdurrahman Yusuf, were among the medal winners at the championship.
The competition marked Nigeria’s maiden appearance at the Spelling Bee World Cup after the team qualified through the Nigeria Spelling Bee and the African Spelling Bee Championship.
The four-member Nigerian team comprised the 2026 African Spelling Bee Junior Champion, Oluwadamilola Adeolu of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti; Abdurrahman Yusuf and Maryam Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin; and Chinedu Okediachi of Madonna International Schools, Asaba.
Before the competition, the Nigeria Spelling Bee described the team’s qualification as a historic achievement, noting that the young contestants had progressed from the national competition to the African Spelling Bee Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe, before advancing to the world stage.
The organisers said the students represented not only Nigeria but also the African continent as they competed against some of the world’s finest young spellers.
Ahead of the tournament, Oluwadamilola Adeolu expressed optimism about representing the country, saying she looked forward to competing with participants from across the world, improving her vocabulary and confidence, and bringing the trophy home.
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 championship, Abdurrahman Yusuf placed third, while Team Nigeria finished as the second-best overall team, further demonstrating the country’s growing strength in international spelling competitions.
The latest victory in Shanghai reinforces Nigeria’s rising profile in global academic contests and highlights the potential of its young scholars on the international stage.
Punch