By Abigail David
Team Nigeria has won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group category at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup held in Shanghai, China, marking a major achievement for the country’s young spellers.
The Nigeria Spelling Bee announced the victory on its official Facebook page on Sunday, congratulating the team on its success at the global competition.
Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, also confirmed that two of its students, Maryam Yusuf and Abdurrahman Yusuf, won medals during the tournament.
The four-member Nigerian team comprised Oluwadamilola Adeolu of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti; Abdurrahman Yusuf and Maryam Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin; and Chinedu Okediachi of Madonna International Schools, Asaba.
The team qualified for the World Cup through the Nigeria Spelling Bee and the African Spelling Bee Championship, making Nigeria’s first-ever appearance at the international event.
Before the competition, organisers said the students would represent both Nigeria and Africa against top young spellers from around the world.
Oluwadamilola Adeolu earned her place at the World Cup after winning the Junior category at the African Spelling Bee Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe. At the same competition, Abdurrahman Yusuf finished third, while Nigeria placed second overall among participating countries.
The latest victory further strengthens Nigeria’s growing reputation in international spelling competitions.
