Abraham Daramola of Hallmark Secondary School, Ondo State, has been crowned overall winner in the fifth edition of the InterswitchSPAK National Science Competition organized by Interswitch Group. Following his outstanding performance, Abraham received a university education scholarship valued at N7.5 million, spread over a period of 5 years, inclusive of a monthly stipend plus a brand-new laptop, and the prestigious recognition as the best STEM student in Nigeria.
Securing the second and third place positions were Emmanuel Omoegbeleghan from The Crescent International School, Ogun State, and Emmanuel Angelo-Hyuwa from The Ambassadors College, Ogun State, who won N4 million and N1 million scholarships, respectively.
Out of almost 18,000 initial applications from secondary school students nationwide, these top three winners rose to the top owing to their speed, perseverance, accuracy and knowledge – attributes that the highly competitive competition has come to be known for.InterswitchSPAK, a CSR initiative of Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, was designed to recognize and reward exceptional efforts of brilliant young minds striving for excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.
Now in its fifth year in Nigeria, the initiative has directly reached over 80,000 students in both Nigeria and Kenya, boosting interest in STEM subjects and rewarding excellence in the field of study.
Speaking on the significance of the competition, Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director, Interswitch Cards and Tokens (Verve) said "The InterswitchSPAK initiative reaffirms our unwavering dedication to promoting STEM education and fostering a culture of innovation and excellence among young Nigerians. We believe in the transformative power of education, and, through this competition, we illuminate the path for the next generation to innovate, create, and lead in the world of science and technology."To celebrate the fifth edition of the InterswitchSPAK competition, Interswitch also expanded the prize pool, with the 4th to 24th place winners receiving cash prizes of up to N250,000.
The success of this commemorative edition of the competition reinforces Interswitch's position as a leading advocate for educational advancement and underscores the company's relentless efforts in shaping the future of STEM in Africa.
As the InterswitchSPAK National Science Competition continues to make a profound impact on STEM education in Nigeria and across Africa, Interswitch looks forward to sustaining the momentum and further contributing to the development of STEM talent across the continent.