The event, which brought together exceptional young spellers from over 30 African countries, featured a series of demanding rounds, including high-pressure speed challenges where contestants spelled up to 20 words in one minute, alongside rigorous single-word elimination stages.
Leading Nigeria’s standout performance was Oluwadamilola Adeolu, a student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti, who emerged as Champion in the Junior category after a commanding display of spelling mastery. Abdurrahman Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, also delivered a strong showing, finishing in third place in the same category, while South Africa’s Ashton Singh secured second position.
In addition to individual accolades, Nigeria was ranked the second-best country overall in the team standings, underscoring the collective strength of its young representatives.
The Nigerian delegation comprised five students selected through a rigorous national process organised by the Nigeria Spelling Bee. Other members of the team included Oghenetano Idoghor of Mountain Top Schools, Lagos; Chinedu Okediachi of Madonna International Schools, Asaba; and Maryam Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International School, Ilorin.
Organisers of the Nigeria Spelling Bee explained that participation in the competition begins at the grassroots level, with students across the country registering and competing through state and national stages before the best performers are chosen to represent Nigeria internationally.
“Interested participants can begin their journey by registering via the official website and progressing through state and national competitions,” the organisers said in a statement. “Top-performing students at the national level are then selected to represent Nigeria at the continental championship.”
Founded in 2016 by a coalition of spelling bee organisations across Africa, the African Spelling Bee Consortium aims to promote literacy, confidence, and cross-cultural connection among young learners. The inaugural edition was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, featuring national champions from countries including Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Since its inception, the initiative has expanded to include more than 20 African nations, cutting across both English- and non-English-speaking countries, as it continues to celebrate academic excellence and empower the African child.