Winners Emerge from NTIC’s 23rd National Maths Competition

About 10,000 students 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 College (NTIC) and the National Mathematical Centre.

Speaking in Abuja on Saturday at the venue of the competition, Fevzullah Bilgin, managing director of NTIC, said the competition, which started in 2003, “is now a nationwide prestigious competition that is responsible for nurturing great talents in the subject of mathematics”.

“For 23 years, NTIC has been promoting effective teaching and learning of mathematics at the primary levels and developing greater capacity through its annual national maths competition,” he added.

“With the inclusion of STEM in the students’ curriculum nationwide, the understanding and love for mathematics has become essential for anyone to excel in STEM and other science-oriented subjects.”

According to him, the competition took place in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He noted that qualified students after the second round of the competition will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship at NTIC plus cash prizes, adding that the mathematics teachers of such students will also receive cash awards.

“Their schools will also be rewarded with a desktop computer, printer, and tablet phone,” Bilgin said.

The NTIC MD said the junior category of ANMC was included in 2022 for students in JSS1, 2, and 3 to participate and benefit from the scholarship opportunity.

Over the years, ANMC has only been for Primary 5 and 6 pupils going into JSS1, and in the 2022 edition,

Erdal Yilmaz, the coordinator of ANMC, said more than 500,000 pupils have participated in the competition across Nigeria since its inception in 2003.

“We have offered 100 percent scholarship that cover tuition plus hostel fees for six years (throughout secondary school) to more than 600 outstanding students who have participated in the competition.”

He further stated that “some of the students that came into NTIC through ANMC have been harnessed and are doing remarkably well in their endeavours,” including Henry Aniobi, a 2007 winner.

Yilmaz noted that Henry is a three-time Pan African mathematical olympiad winner with two gold and one silver medal (Côte d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Nigeria).

He is also a four-time international mathematics olympiad bronze medallist (Holland, Argentina, Colombia, and South Africa).

“Ayomide Bamidele, a 2008 winner, was a national physics olympiad winner in 2014. He also won the International Physics Olympiad in 2014 in Kazakhstan, winning a bronze medal.

“Vincent Anioke, a 2006 winner, scored 239 out of 2400 in the SAT and gained a scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to further his studies at one of the world’s leading universities.

“In 2021, Okezie Chiedozie and Otutochi Nwadinkpa represented Nigeria at Petersburg, Russia, at the International Mathematics Olympiad after an outstanding performance in the national mathematics competition conducted by the National Mathematics Centre.

“In 2025, Oghenerukevwe Patrick Esemitodje, a 2025 ANMC/NTIC graduate, secured a spot to represent Nigeria at the prestigious Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO) in South Africa in 2024.

“He raised the bar by securing a 100 percent scholarship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).”