14-Year-Old Maryam Yusuf Leads Nigeria’s Team to Win 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup
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Summary: Maryam Yusuf, a 14-year-old student, has led her team to emerge victorious at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup held in Shanghai, China.
Maryam Yusuf, a 14-year-old student, has led her team to emerge victorious at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup held in Shanghai, China. This achievement was announced on the Nigeria Spelling Bee official Facebook page on Sunday. Sunday, July 19, 2026.
The Nigerian team includes Maryam Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin; Adeolu Oluwadamilola Oreofe of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti; Abdurrahman Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin; and Chinedu Okediachi from Madonna International Schools, Asaba. The team outperformed other contestants from Asia, Africa, the United States, China and Canada during the competition, which took place from July 14 to 19.
The road to this feat began with the students’ strong performances at the Nigeria Spelling Bee, where they earned recognition for their exceptional abilities. Their success continued at the African championship, where Oluwadamilola Adeolu emerged as the Junior Champion, paving the way for Nigeria’s historic appearance at the World Cup.
Remarkably, during the African Spelling Bee Championship, Maryam competed in the senior category despite being a JSS 3 student, and correctly spelt 17 out of 20 words in just one minute during the speed round, helping Nigeria secure a second-place finish in the team category.
Other African countries represented at the global event included Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
“Team Nigeria has won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China,” the Nigeria Spelling Bee post announced
“Team Nigeria has won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China,” the post reads.
Before the competition, organisers had described the participants as “brilliant, articulate and exceptional”.
They described Nigeria’s feat as a remarkable milestone reflecting unwavering dedication, resilience, and academic excellence.
