NANS Condemn Tinubu Govt’s N200,000 Reward For Teenager Who Won Global English Contest As ‘National Disgrace’
…Calls on the FG to urgently review the cash reward upward in line with global best practices
By The9jaTREND
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone E (North East), has condemned the Federal Government’s decision to reward Nafisah Abdullahi, Nigerian winner of the TeenEagle Global Competition, with just N200,000 each, describing it as “a national disgrace” and a clear indication that the country does not value education.
In a statement issued and signed by Comrade Sani Adamu, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Coordinator of NANS Zone E on Sunday, August 31, 2025, the association said the paltry reward was grossly inadequate when compared to the students’ exceptional global performance.
According to the statement, “While we commend our students for their brilliance and outstanding performance on the global stage, we consider the reward grossly inadequate and not reflective of the value of their achievement.
“Such an international victory deserves a more befitting recognition that would motivate not only the winners but also other Nigerian students striving for academic excellence.”
NANS drew a sharp contrast between the treatment of the students and recent gestures toward Nigerian athletes, noting that the women’s football team and their basketball counterparts were each rewarded with $100,000 for their outings.
The association stated that the disparity highlighted how Nigeria prioritizes sports over intellectual achievements.
“This government has once again demonstrated that it places no premium on education. When it comes to sports, millions of dollars are spent to celebrate victories, but when our students put Nigeria on the global map through knowledge, they are handed peanuts,” the statement added.
The association called on the Federal Government to urgently review the cash reward upward in line with global best practices, stressing that anything short of this would amount to undermining the dignity of Nigerian students and further discouraging academic pursuit in a country already battling a collapsing education sector.
“It is tragic that in a country battling a collapsing education sector, students who fly Nigeria’s flag on the global stage are mocked with N200,000, while politicians enjoy reckless luxury at the expense of taxpayers. This is not only insulting but dangerous for our future,” the statement concluded.
Recently, President Bola Tinubu rolled out a lavish reward package for Nigeria’s Super Falcons and D’Tigress following their stunning victories at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and the FIBA Afrobasket Championship, respectively.
The Super Falcons, fresh off their dramatic 3–2 comeback win against Morocco, stood tall as national heroes. D’Tigress, equally triumphant, had just clinched their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title, solidifying Nigeria’s dominance in African women’s basketball.
President Tinubu conferred the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and 11 technical crew members.
Each player received a cash prize equivalent to $100,000, while the technical crew members were awarded $50,000 each. In addition, every recipient was allocated a three-bedroom apartment in the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Housing Estate in Abuja.
