Nigeria has recorded its best performance yet at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in the United States, with 11-year-old Newton Temojo advancing to the quarterfinal stage of the prestigious international competition.
Temojo, who emerged as Nigeria's national spelling champion, represented the country in Washington, D.C., where he competed against some of the world's brightest young spellers.
His quarterfinal finish marks a significant improvement on Nigeria's performance at the 2025 edition, when the country's representative exited in the preliminary rounds.
The young Nigerian impressed judges and spectators with his strong vocabulary, confidence, and composure throughout the competition before his run ended on the word "dissuade."
Nigeria was also represented by Amazing-Grace Salami, the country's first-ever Scripps Spelling Bee Nigeria champion, who returned to the global stage after representing the country at the 2025 competition.
Organisers say the participation of both students reflects the growing development of spelling and literacy education in Nigeria and the increasing opportunities available to young learners through international academic competitions.
The Nigerian delegation's participation was facilitated by the Young Educators Foundation Africa (YEFA), a non-governmental organisation focused on literacy development and educational advancement across Africa.
Speaking after the event, YEFA described the performance as an encouraging milestone for Nigerian education.
"Newton's advancement to the quarterfinal stage, together with Amazing-Grace's continued representation at the international level, reflects the growing academic potential of young Nigerians when given the right support and exposure," the organisation said.
The foundation noted that Nigeria's continued participation in the Scripps National Spelling Bee is helping to develop critical thinking skills, vocabulary mastery, confidence, and global competitiveness among young learners.
The competition also highlighted the growing presence of African countries in international spelling contests. Nigeria and Ghana remain the only African nations currently participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Among Ghana's representatives was national champion Eugene Osei Mensah, while Keona Osae-Twum, a former runner-up in Ghana's national spelling competition who later represented the U.S. state of New Jersey, advanced to the semifinal stage.
Organisers credited the growth of Nigeria's spelling programme to the support of several partners and sponsors, including Kids FM 101.7 Lagos.
The partnerships, organisers said, have helped create pathways for young Nigerians to compete on the global stage and showcase their academic abilities internationally.
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