A Lagos State teacher, Mrs Busayo Adeyemo, has emerged winner of the 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year award, receiving N10 million, a brand-new sports utility vehicle (SUV) and a three-bedroom flat.
Adeyemo, a Biology teacher at Lanre Awologun High School, Gbagada, Lagos, beat 10 other state champions to win the 12th edition of the competition, which attracted 2,510 teachers from across the country.
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Apart from the cash prize and vehicle, she will also attend an international training programme to improve her teaching skills. Her school will receive facilities worth N30 million.
An Abuja-based teacher, Yusuf Cariyat, came second and received N5 million, while Ephraim Iyancudo from Akwa Ibom State came third and won N3 million.
The 10 state champions also received N1 million each from the organisers, Nigerian Breweries Plc.
Speaking at the award ceremony, President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, praised teachers for their important role in educating children and preparing them for the future.
Tinubu said teachers were central to his administration’s plan to ensure that every Nigerian child had access to quality education. He also commended the organisers for recognising teachers and rewarding their hard work.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said teachers helped children gain knowledge, discover their talents and build confidence to pursue their dreams.
He called for greater support for teachers, adding that their contributions to the country’s development deserved recognition.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also announced that the state government would present Adeyemo with a three-bedroom flat in recognition of her achievement. He said the government would also bring back the Lagos Teachers’ Merit Award with improved prizes for outstanding teachers.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust, Thibaut Boidin, said the award was part of efforts to recognise teachers whose work made a difference in the lives of their pupils and society.
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