Team Nigeria has made history by winning the Gold Award in the Middle School Group category at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China, with Maryam Yusuf emerging as one of the country’s standout performers. The victory marks Nigeria’s first-ever participation at the global spelling championship.
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Maryam Yusuf, a student of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, Kwara State, led the Nigerian contingent alongside fellow student Abdurrahman Yusuf, both of whom returned home with medals after delivering impressive performances throughout the competition.
The four-member Team Nigeria also featured 2026 African Spelling Bee Junior Champion, Oluwadamilola Adeolu of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti, and Chinedu Okediachi of Madonna International Schools, Asaba. The students earned the opportunity to compete in China after excelling at the Nigeria Spelling Bee and the African Spelling Bee Championship.
The Nigeria Spelling Bee announced the historic achievement on its official platforms, describing the victory as a landmark moment for the country’s academic community. The organisers noted that the team represented not only Nigeria but also the African continent on the world stage.
Ar-Raheem International College also celebrated the outstanding performances of Maryam Yusuf and Abdurrahman Yusuf, commending the students for bringing honour to their school and Nigeria through their exceptional spelling abilities.
Before the tournament, Maryam Yusuf had already built a reputation as one of Nigeria’s brightest young spellers after excelling at the African Spelling Bee Championship, where she demonstrated remarkable vocabulary and language skills. Her performance in Shanghai further reinforced her status as one of the country’s leading academic talents.
Education stakeholders have described the victory as a major milestone for Nigeria’s growing presence in international academic competitions, expressing optimism that the achievement will inspire more students to pursue excellence in literacy, language development and global academic contests.
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