A 14-year-old Nigerian student, Oluwadamilola Adeolu, has won the Junior category of the 2026 African Spelling Bee held in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Adeolu, a student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti, clinched the top prize after defeating contestants from over 30 African countries at the continental competition.

The organisers of the Nigeria Spelling Bee, affiliated with the Federal Ministry of Education, announced her victory on their official website.

“At the end of the competition, Oluwadamilola Adeolu of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti, emerged as the Junior Champion, securing a remarkable victory for Nigeria in the continental contest,” the statement read.

In the same category, Abdurrahman Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, finished third, while South Africa’s Ashton Singh placed second.

The organisers also stated that Nigeria ranked second overall in the team standings, reflecting the country’s strong performance at the event.

“Strong Team Performance — Nigeria also secured the title of 2nd Best Country Spelling Bee Team in the overall group rankings, reaffirming the country’s consistency and strength in the African Spelling Bee competition,” it added.

Other members of Team Nigeria were Oghenetano Idoghor of Mountain Top Schools, Lagos; Chinedu Okediachi of Madonna International Schools, Asaba; and Maryam Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International School, Ilorin.

The competition featured several stages, including a speed round where participants spelled 20 words within one minute, alongside single-word elimination rounds.

Adeolu’s victory marks another milestone in her academic journey.

She previously placed second in the 2023 MTN Spelling Bee, second in the 2024 Ekiti State Spelling Bee, fifth in the 2025 African Spelling Bee, and second in the 2025 Nigeria Spelling Bee.

Her path to the continental title began with a first-place finish in Ekiti State, followed by a second-place performance at the national finals in Port Harcourt.

Nigeria has continued to maintain a strong record at the African Spelling Bee, with its representatives winning multiple titles in both junior and senior categories over the years. (TRIBUNE)

Update news