Abia State Students Emerge Best, Bags 4 Major Awards in Qatar Debate Competition
- Students from Abia State public schools represented Nigeria at the 2026 International Schools Debate Championship in Doha, Qatar
- Team Nigeria competed against students from Jordan, India, Qatar, the Philippines, Kenya and other countries across 84 groups
- The five-member Abia team secured four major trophies and 12 laurels at the tournament hosted by Georgetown University in Doha
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Students from public schools in Abia State have put Nigeria on the global academic map after clinching the top prize at the 2026 International Schools Debate Championship held in Doha, Qatar.
The five-member team, representing Nigeria through Presidential School Debate Nigeria, walked away with the Best International School Debate Team award, which is the championship's highest honour, along with four trophies and 12 laurels in total.
Source: UGC
Abia students outshine global rivals in Doha
The 2026 edition of the competition was coordinated by the Vocara Institute and hosted by the QatarDebate Centre at Georgetown University in Doha. The QatarDebate Centre was established in 2008 by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development as Qatar's national debating organisation. This year's tournament drew over 84 groups from eight countries.
Team Nigeria, led by the Executive Chairman of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, Amb. Lydia Onuoha, alongside representatives of the Presidency and Presidential School Debate Nigeria, featured five students:
1. Christian Chinweotitom Esther
2. Chikodi Maureen
3. Akamnonu Franklin
4. Ifeanyichukwu Prisca
5. Simon Divine.
In the preliminary rounds, the team defeated competitors from the Philippines, Jordan, India and Qatar before advancing to the final stage. Beyond the Best International School Debate Team award, they also claimed:
1. The Overall Best Team in the Junior Category
2. Best Leadership Award
3. Best Debater Award.
Abia government promises celebration for returning champions
Ukoha Ukoha, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Alex Otti, released a statement on Sunday, 4 October 2026, describing the result as a reflection of the state's reformed education system.
"This historic victory has once again demonstrated the strength of Abia's new education model under Gov. Alex Otti and the intellectual capacity of students in Abia public schools. The Abia Debate Team has made Abia and Nigeria proud," he said.
The Abia State Commissioner for Basic Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, also spoke to journalists on Sunday, saying the outcome confirmed that ongoing reforms in the sector were delivering real results.
He said:
"We feel elated now. What we are doing is that we are transforming the educational sector, and this outcome now is one of the expectations, and they are indicators that what we are doing is working."
Ubochi also revealed that a broader celebration was being planned to honour the debate team alongside other Abia students who had excelled in national competitions, including one who won the essay competition organised by the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools.
"Let them come back first. When they come back, we are going to host and celebrate them," he added.
State with best NECO results in 2026
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Kano finished in first place in the 2026 NECO results, acknowledging its education spending and the government’s support for students.
Kano topped the results for the second year in a row, with 74,413 candidates earning at least five credits, including English and mathematics. The state also spent more than N4.4 billion in 2026 to sponsor candidates for the examinations, with a focus on students from low-income families.
Source: Legit.ng
