10,000 pupils, JSS students take part in NTIC’s 23rd national maths competition
About 10,000 pupils in primary 5 and 6 and students in junior secondary school (JSS) 1 to 3 took part in the 23rd edition of the Annual National Mathematics Competition (ANMC) organised by the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) and the National Mathematical Centre.
The competition was held on Saturday across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking at the venue of the competition in Abuja, Fevzullah Bilgin, managing director of NTIC, said the initiative, which began in 2003, has grown into a nationwide platform for nurturing young talents in mathematics.
“For 23 years, NTIC has been promoting effective teaching and learning of mathematics at the primary level and building capacity through the annual national maths competition,” he said.
Bilgin said with the inclusion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in school curricula nationwide, interest and competence in mathematics had become essential for students to excel in science-related subjects.
He added that students who qualify after the second round of the competition would receive full-tuition scholarships at NTIC and cash prizes, while their mathematics teachers would also be rewarded.
“Their schools will also receive a desktop computer, a printer and a tablet,” he said.
Bilgin noted that the junior category of the competition was introduced in 2022 to enable students in JSS 1, 2 and 3 to participate and benefit from the scholarship scheme.
Erdal Yilmaz, coordinator of ANMC, said more than 500,000 pupils have participated in the competition nationwide since its inception in 2003.
According to him, over 600 outstanding students have so far received 100 per cent scholarships covering tuition and hostel accommodation for six years of secondary education.
Yilmaz said several beneficiaries of the programme have gone on to record outstanding achievements locally and internationally.
He cited Henry Aniobi, a 2007 winner, who is a three-time Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad winner with two gold and one silver medals, and a four-time International Mathematics Olympiad bronze medallist.
He also listed Ayomide Bamidele, a 2008 winner and national physics olympiad champion, who won a bronze medal at the 2014 International Physics Olympiad in Kazakhstan.
Another beneficiary, Vincent Anioke, a 2006 winner, scored 239 out of 240 in the SAT and later secured a scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Yilmaz said Okezie Chiedozie and Otutochi Nwadinkpa represented Nigeria at the International Mathematics Olympiad in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 2021 after excelling in the national competition organised by the National Mathematical Centre.
He added that Oghenerukevwe Patrick Esemitodje, a 2025 ANMC graduate, also secured a place to represent Nigeria at the Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad in South Africa and earned a full scholarship to MIT.
