Nigerians Condemn FG for ₦200,000 Gift to Teen Who Won Global English Contest

The Federal Government has come under fire after gifting Nafisah Abdullahi, a 15-year-old Nigerian teenager who won the prestigious TeenEagle Global Finals competition in London, just ₦200,000 as a reward for her world-class achievement.

Nafisah, from Yobe State, defeated over 20,000 students from 69 countries to emerge as the best in English language proficiency at the 2025 edition of the global contest. Two other Nigerian students, Rukaiya Fema and Khadija Kalli, also excelled in different categories, making the nation proud on the world stage.

At a recognition ceremony in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suiwaba Ahmad, presented the ₦200,000 cash prize and praised Nafisah’s resilience and intellect.

“You are the future of Nigeria, and you have made us proud… Your success gives us the confidence to ask for more,” Alausa declared.

But the announcement sparked outrage on social media, with many Nigerians describing the reward as an “embarrassment” and “insulting” compared to the magnitude of her achievement.

Critics pointed out the stark contrast between the teenager’s reward and the millions of dollars in bonuses often given to athletes and entertainers. “A government that doles out hundreds of millions to musicians and footballers is giving ₦200k to a teenager who beat the world. This is shameful,” one X user lamented.

Others compared the gesture to the reported $100,000 (about ₦160m) bonuses awarded to the Super Falcons during international tournaments, questioning the government’s priorities.

“It shows how little value is placed on education in this country. We celebrate mediocrity with billions but give peanuts to real excellence,” another critic wrote.

Despite the backlash, Nafisah expressed gratitude to the ministers and President Bola Tinubu, thanking her parents and Nigerian Tulip International College for their support. The Yobe State Commissioner for Basic Education, Prof. Abba Idris, also appreciated the FG’s recognition.

Weeks earlier, the Atiku Abubakar Foundation had already awarded full scholarships to Nafisah and her teammates, a gesture that many Nigerians now hail as more befitting of their world-class accomplishment.