Lagos-based teacher Busayo Adeyemo has emerged winner of the 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition, receiving ₦10 million, a Honda HR-V, a three-bedroom apartment and a ₦30 million school infrastructure project in recognition of her contribution to education.
Adeyemo, who teaches at Lanre Awolokun High School, Gbagada, also won the Maltina Prize for Best STEM Teacher, earning an additional ₦1.5 million. The awards were presented at the competition’s 12th grand finale held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday, October 30.
According to Brandspur Brand News, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the three-bedroom apartment as an additional reward for the winning teacher, while the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund committed ₦30 million towards an infrastructure project at her school.
The prize package also includes an all-expenses-paid overseas capacity development programme and a year’s supply of Maltina.
Adeyemo’s emergence followed a nationwide competition that attracted 2,510 entries from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Of the submissions received, 2,243 met the competition’s validity requirements, representing a 30 per cent increase in entries compared with the previous edition.
Yusuf Cariyat of Wisdom International School of Excellence, Abuja, finished as first runner-up and received ₦5 million, while Ephraim Jacob Inyangudo of Comprehensive Secondary School, Ediene Abak, Akwa Ibom State, came third with ₦3 million.
Seventeen other teachers who emerged as state champions received ₦1 million each.
Speaking after her victory, Adeyemo said the recognition had strengthened her resolve to contribute to teacher development and improve STEM education in Nigeria. She also pledged to continue investing in the development of young learners.
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President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, commended the Trust Fund for its investments in teachers, classrooms, libraries and other learning facilities.
The President also expressed willingness to collaborate with the organisation on its planned long-term intervention for out-of-school children, scheduled to begin in 2027.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, similarly praised the initiative, noting that private sector investment in educators and school infrastructure could support efforts to improve Nigeria’s education system.
Chairman of the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund and Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Thibaut Boidin, said the competition remained an important platform for recognising teachers whose contributions often extend beyond classroom instruction.
The company’s Corporate Affairs Director and Public Relations Officer of the Trust Fund, Uzodinma Odenigbo, disclosed that the initiative had recognised 305 outstanding teachers, supported educational infrastructure projects and delivered 11 school infrastructure projects since its establishment.
Introduced in 2015, the Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition is organised to identify and reward exceptional educators across Nigeria. The Trust Fund, established in 1994, has also supported the construction and furnishing of more than 400 classrooms, libraries and sanitary facilities in 74 communities nationwide.
