Lagos Teacher Adeyemo Busayo Victoria Wins 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, Takes Home ₦10m and Honda SUV.

Lagos Teacher Adeyemo Busayo Victoria Wins 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, Takes Home ₦10m and Honda SUV.

A Lagos based secondary school teacher, Adeyemo Busayo Victoria, has emerged as the overall winner of the 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year competition, earning a ₦10 million cash prize and a brand new Honda HR V in recognition of her contributions to education.

Victoria, who teaches at Lanre Awolokun High School in Gbagada, Lagos State, was announced as the national winner at the grand finale of the 12th edition of the competition held in Lagos on October 30, 2026.

The annual award, organized by the Nigerian Breweries Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, recognizes exceptional teachers whose dedication, professional commitment and innovative approaches contribute to improving the quality of education across Nigeria.

Beyond the ₦10 million cash reward and the new vehicle, the overall winner’s prize package includes a ₦30 million infrastructure project for her school, a one-year supply of Maltina and an international capacity development training opportunity.

The recognition places Victoria among a growing number of Nigerian educators receiving national attention for their contributions to teaching and learning.

Emergence From Nationwide Competition

The 2026 edition attracted 2,243 valid entries from teachers across the country, highlighting the competition’s expanding reach and the growing recognition of excellence within Nigeria’s education sector.

Following an initial screening process, 213 teachers advanced to the second stage of assessment, from which 10 finalists were selected after evaluation by the panel of judges.

Victoria emerged from the competitive selection process, representing Lagos State alongside other outstanding educators drawn from different parts of the country.

The finalists included teachers from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.

Before the announcement of the overall winner, the finalists were scheduled to undergo further online assessments and physical screening, during which they were expected to demonstrate their professional achievements and contributions to their respective schools and communities.

A Broader Recognition of Teachers’ Contributions

Established in 2015, the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition is one of Nigeria’s initiatives aimed at recognizing outstanding educators and encouraging greater commitment to the teaching profession.

Through the Nigerian Breweries Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, the initiative has continued to promote educational development by rewarding exceptional teachers and supporting improvements in school infrastructure.

The competition also recognized state champions, with each receiving a ₦1 million cash prize, while the first and second runners-up are entitled to ₦5 million and ₦3 million respectively.

Victoria’s achievement comes at a time when Nigeria’s education sector continues to face challenges involving inadequate infrastructure, teacher welfare, learning resources and the need for improved professional development.

Although recognizing individual excellence is important, education stakeholders have consistently emphasized that sustainable improvements in learning outcomes also require stronger institutional support, better working conditions and increased investment in public education.

Her emergence as the 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year therefore represents not only a personal professional milestone but also an opportunity to draw attention to the essential role teachers play in shaping Nigeria’s future workforce and national development.

As the country continues to pursue improvements in educational standards, recognizing dedicated educators remains an important step towards building a stronger and more inclusive education system.