FG Reacts to Claim It Ignored Brilliant Boy's Maths Olympiad Sponsorship
- The Education Ministry says no formal request for sponsorship of the Nigerian student who allegedly qualified for the International Maths Olympiad was ever received
- The Ministry urges Nigerians to disregard unverified social media claims and rely only on official communication channels for verified education updates
- It reaffirms its commitment to merit-based sponsorship and fair processes for Nigerian students representing the country in global academic contests
The Federal Ministry of Education has denied claims circulating on social media that it refused to sponsor a Nigerian student allegedly selected to represent the country at the International Mathematics Olympiad in China.
The Ministry clarified that no official application or sponsorship request was ever submitted through any recognized channel regarding the said competition.
Source: Twitter
A post made by education advocate and CEO of Educare, Alex Onyia, had alleged that a 15-year-old student from Graceland International School in Port Harcourt, identified as Agbo Adoga, qualified to represent Nigeria but was denied sponsorship by the government.
The viral claim sparked widespread criticism online, with many users accusing the Ministry of neglecting young talents.
Many became invested in the story after learning that the boy had an achievement shelf filled with numerous prizes accumulated from top tier Mathematics competitions.
The 15-year-old is the first Nigerian to have ever recorded a perfect SAT score of 1600 in history and his dream, as reported, is to continue his studies at MIT in the US.
No record or formal request found
Following an internal review, the ministry stated that there was no documented communication, application, or correspondence from any institution, association, or individual seeking sponsorship for the competition.
According to the statement, all matters relating to student representation in international academic contests must follow due process and be submitted through approved educational bodies for proper verification and approval.
“The Ministry stated that no official request for sponsorship or support was received from any recognised institution, association, or individual in connection with the said competition,” the clarification read.
It also warned against relying on unverified information circulating on social media, urging the public to verify all education-related news through official government sources.
Source: Twitter
Ministry reaffirms support for Nigerian students
The Education Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to supporting brilliant Nigerian students through fair and transparent procedures that reward merit and accountability.
It stated that the government remains open to providing assistance to deserving students, but such support must be processed through recognized channels to ensure authenticity.
It further noted that the Ministry’s position is to maintain integrity and fairness in handling matters that involve international representation, ensuring that only verified candidates and legitimate institutions are supported.
“The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to supporting outstanding Nigerian students through fair, transparent, and merit-based processes. It urged the public to disregard unverified social media reports and rely only on information from its official communication channels,” the statement read.
Why girl who scored 371 was excluded from admission - JAMB
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had clarified the circumstances surrounding the case of Miss Kareem Kaamilah Omolarami, an underage candidate who scored 371 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and applied for admission to the Nile University of Nigeria.
In a press release signed by the Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, Ph.D., the Board said the candidate’s omission from the final stage of its underage admission screening exercise was not due to bias or administrative error but was based strictly on verified information provided by the admitting university.
Source: Legit.ng
