… Gets N10 million, SUV car, and three-bedroom flat
Busayo Adeyemo, a Lagos-based teacher, has won the 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, earning N10 million, a brand-new sports utility vehicle (SUV), and a three-bedroom flat for her outstanding contributions to the teaching profession.
The award, which celebrates excellence, dedication and innovation in education, places Adeyemo, a Biology teacher at Lanre Awologun High School, Gbagada, in the spotlight as one of the educators making remarkable contributions to Nigeria’s educational development.
She beat 10 state champions among 2,510 teachers who entered the 2026 competition.
Besides the awards, Adeyemo will go on an international capacity-building programme, while her school will receive facilities worth N30 million.
The second position went to Yusuf Cariyat, an Abuja-based teacher, who was presented with a cheque for N5 million. The third position went to Ephraim Iyancudo, an Akwa Ibom teacher, who received N3 million.
The management of Nigerian Breweries Plc had earlier awarded N1 million each to the 10 state champions.
Many dignitaries attended the award ceremony such as President Bola Tinubu, who was represented; Bernard Doro, the minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Tunji Alausa, the minister of education; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State; Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the first lady of Lagos State; Muhammad Idris, the executive secretary of National Commission for Almajiri and out-of-school children education; Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, the secretary to the Lagos State government; Kola Jamodu, a former chairman of Nigerian Breweries (NB); and Thibaut Boidin, the managing director of the NB and the management team.
President Tinubu, the minister of education and the governor of Lagos State, in their speeches, recognised the contributions of teachers to the education system and the need to accord top priority to their welfare.
Tinubu described teachers as the first line of hope and said his administration would continue to give top priority to issues affecting them.
He stressed that teachers were critical to his vision of ensuring that every school child in the country received quality education.
“Nigerians are grateful to our teachers for the service they render to our children and the education system,” President Tinubu said.
The president also described education as a social investment that drove his administration’s commitment to ensuring that no child was left out of the classroom.
President Tinubu commended Nigerian Breweries for recognising teachers, saying the Maltina Teacher of the Year award had changed the narrative that teachers’ reward was in heaven.
The minister of education, note that every profession began with a teacher. “We recognise excellence in teaching; we are investing in the foundation of Nigeria’s future,” he said.
Besides, Alausa acknowledged the hardworking men and women in the teaching profession who have shaped the prospects of children and the future of the nation.
“In classrooms across Nigeria, teachers help young people acquire knowledge, discover their abilities and develop the confidence to pursue their aspirations. Their contribution deserves both public recognition and sustained support,” he noted.
He advocated for a renewed shared commitment to supporting teachers and ensuring that every Nigerian child had access to quality education.
Moreover, he applauded Nigerian Breweries Plc, the Trust Fund and other partners for their continued contribution to the teaching profession.
In his remarks, Governor Sanwo-Olu said that, because of the role teachers played in the education system, his administration would resuscitate the Lagos Teachers’ Merit Award with improved prizes for outstanding Lagos teachers.
Thibaut Boidin, the chairman of the Nigerian Breweries–Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust and managing director of NB Plc, in his address, said teachers planted seeds in the classrooms and that it took years for positive outcomes to grow.
Boidin emphasised that teachers’ impact on the education system goes far beyond the classroom and society. “It is an act of serving the nation. NB sees the service you render and will continue to reward outstanding teachers.”
He said the finalists carried the hope of the classroom and society, and observed that the life of the winner would change and also rub off on her students.
Charles Ogwo is a proactive journalist, driving education, and business innovations for over 10 years. He leads initiatives leveraging tech to enhance storytelling and build topnotch performing team. Charles is passionate about harnessing technology to inform, engage and empower communities.