Nigerians have expressed outrage over the Federal Government’s decision to award just N200,000 to Nafisa Abdullahi Aminu, winner of the 2025 TeenEagle Global Finals Competition.
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Seventeen-year-old Nafisa, alongside 15-year-old Rukayya Muhammad Fema and Hadiza Kashim Kalli, represented Nigeria at the international competition, ranking among the best in various categories and defeating over 20,000 participants from 69 countries.
Nafisa was named the Overall Best in English Language skills, while Rukayya won the Overall Best in Debate. Hadiza received the Outstanding Talent Award (Gold Medal). All three girls, from Yobe State, are students of the Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC), Yobe campus.
The final stage of the competition was held between July 27 and August 3 at the University of Surrey, United Kingdom. More than 900 students from 46 countries took part, with the three Nigerian girls emerging as outstanding performers.
NTIC Yobe State principal, Mr. Haseebullah Jogi, explained that the competition began with an online round before advancing to the global stage. Eight students represented Nigeria five from NTIC Abuja and three from NTIC Yobe.
At a recognition ceremony in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced a cash reward of N200,000 for Nafisa, while Rukayya and Hadiza received N100,000 each. The minister described the girls as “a beacon of excellence and inspiration to Nigerian youths” and commended Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni for his commitment to education.
The Yobe State Commissioner of Basic Education, Prof. Abba Idris, lauded the students’ achievements, describing their victory as “a triumph of resilience and commitment to education.” Nafisa dedicated the recognition to Governor Buni for his support of education in the state.
Since the announcement, many Nigerians have described the reward as “insulting.” On social media, users compared the gesture to the rewards given to victorious Super Falcons and D’Tigress players, who received $100,000 each, three-bedroom flats, and national honours.
Comments ranged from criticism of the government’s priorities to calls for proper recognition for intellectual achievements. One user wrote: “200k—that’s less than $150. For a teenager who just put Nigeria on the world map, it’s insulting. She deserves scholarships, mentorship, and serious financial support, not pocket change.” Another noted: “How do we encourage young people to take their studies seriously when others are being celebrated for bad behaviour?”
Educationist Bello Ogundele said the federal government’s gesture fell short of what is expected for a global academic champion. “The N200,000 reward does not reflect the weight of that achievement, especially compared with the much larger rewards often given to sports and entertainment achievers,” he said.
Ogundele suggested that full scholarships, access to mentorship, international exchange opportunities, or national honours would have been more appropriate, emphasizing that substantive recognition of academic excellence is crucial to nurturing Nigeria’s next generation of innovators and leaders.
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