Lagos teacher wins N10m Maltina prize, gets apartment from Sanwo-Olu

Lagos teacher, Busayo Adeyemo, has won the 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year award, receiving a N10 million cash prize and a three-bedroom apartment from the Lagos State government.

Ms Adeyemo, of Lanre Awolokun High School, Gbagada, Lagos, emerged winner at the 12th edition of the competition organised by the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund (NB-FOETF) on Friday in Lagos.

Apart from the cash prize and apartment, she also received a Honda HR-V, an all-expenses-paid overseas capacity development training, a one-year supply of Maltina and a N30 million school infrastructure project to be built in her honour.

According to a press release from the organiser, Ms Adeyemi also won the Maltina Prize for Best STEM Teacher, for which she received an additional N1.5 million.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who hosted the event, separately rewarded Ms Adeyemo with the three-bedroom apartment.

Governor’s intervention

Mr Sanwo-Olu commended the NB-FOETF for using its resources to recognise and support teachers, describing the initiative as an opportunity to deepen collaboration between the private sector and government.

He said the intervention demonstrated how corporate social responsibility could contribute to improving education in Lagos and Nigeria.

Speaking after she was announced as the winner, Ms Adeyemo expressed appreciation to the education trust fund, the Lagos State government and other partners for the recognition and rewards.

“I am excited, thankful and grateful about this competition and the rewards that have followed. This award simply means that I should keep giving my best.”

She said the award would also encourage her to contribute more to teacher development and STEM education.

“It’s a reminder that I have a responsibility not to relent but to keep giving my best, committing myself to teachers’ development in Lagos and Nigeria, keep advancing STEM education in Nigeria, and believing in the Nigerian children that tomorrow shall be great,” she said.

Other winners

Yusuf Cariyat of Wisdom International School of Excellence, Sauka, Lugbe, Abuja, emerged first runner-up and received N5 million, while Ephraim Inyangudo of Comprehensive Secondary School, Ediene Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, emerged second runner-up and received N3 million.

Seventeen other teachers who emerged as state champions received N1 million each.

The event also featured remarks from President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro.

Mr Tinubu commended the education trust fund for its investments in classrooms, libraries and other learning facilities, and said the government was ready to partner with the fund on its planned long-term support for out-of-school children from 2027.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, also commended the initiative, saying the strong participation in the competition reflected the depth of teaching talent across the country.

Entries received

According to the NB-FOETF Corporate Affairs Director, Uzodinma Odenigbo, the competition received 2,510 entries from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) this year, representing a 30 per cent increase from the previous edition.

Of the entries, 2,243 were considered valid.

Mr Odenigbo said the competition had so far honoured 305 teachers, supported schools with educational infrastructure and delivered 11 school infrastructure projects.

The Chairman of the NB-FOETF and Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Thibaut Boidin, said the competition was established to celebrate teachers and recognise their contribution to society.

He said the 2026 edition was particularly significant as Nigerian Breweries marks 80 years, Maltina marks 50 years, while the education trust fund marks 32 years of investment in education.

“We see your commitment, the sacrifices, surprises that may never appear on a report card. We see the extra time you give to a struggling student, the patience, the courage and the optimism required to keep believing in the next generation. We honour you and we thank you,” Mr Boidin said.

The Maltina Teacher of the Year competition was introduced in 2015 by the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund to identify, honour and reward outstanding teachers across Nigeria.

Since inception, the Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition has produced eleven grand prize winners, and they include Rose Obi (2015), Imoh Essien (2016), Felix Ariguzo (2017), Olasunkanmi Opeifa (2018), Ezem Collins (2019), Oluwabunmi Anani (2020), Abanika Taiye (2021), Alaku Ayiwulu (2022), Adeola Adefemi (2023), Esomnofu Ifechukwu (2024) and Serah Yusuf(2025).

With her win, Ms Adeyemo becomes the 12th recipient of the national award.

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About the competition

The Maltina Teacher of the Year competition was introduced in 2015 by the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund (NB-FOETF) to identify, honour and reward outstanding teachers across Nigeria.

The competition is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and other education stakeholders, including the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

The NB-FOETF was established in 1994 with an initial capital of N100 million to support sustained interventions in education.

According to the organisers, the fund has worked across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.