The top 81 students who will proceed to the televised stage of the renowned STEM-focused competition, the InterswitchSPAK National Science Competition, have been chosen.
The educational contest, in its seventh edition, is organised by Interswitch Group, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies.
The 81 finalists were selected from the nationwide pre-qualifying examinations, which recorded over 18,200 student registrations, a 12.5 per cent increase in registrations from the previous year.
The two-stage pre-qualifying exam phase was held between June 17 and 27, 2025, drawing participants from thousands of secondary schools across Nigeria.
The first round tested students on core science subjects, including Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics, with the top 500 students, who scored 75 per cent and above, progressing to the second stage of the examinations, which drilled down tothe top 81 finalists.
These top 81 outstanding students, drawn from across the country, will proceed to compete in the televised InterswitchSPAK STEM quiz show, where they will battle for the top prize and the coveted title of Nigeria’s Best STEM Student. The show will air for 13 weeks across major stations nationwide in the coming weeks.
At the finale, the ultimate winner will be awarded a five-year university scholarship worth N15 million, a brand new laptop, and the bragging rights as Nigeria’s Best STEM Student.
The second prize winner will receive a four-year university scholarship and a stipend worth N10 million, along with a brand new laptop, while the third prize winner will be awarded a three-year university scholarship worth N5 million and a brand new laptop.
Speaking on the milestone, the Executive Vice President, Group Marketing and Communications for Interswitch, Ms Cherry Eromosele, expressed her excitement over the turnout of this year’s participation from students and reaffirmed Interswitch’s continued commitment to the initiative.
She said, “The quality of performance and commitment we have seen from students across the country has been nothing short of inspiring. InterswitchSPAK continues to deliver on its mission to identify and nurture the next generation of leaders in STEM, and the emergence of these 81 finalists marks a major milestone in this journey. We look forward to showcasing their brilliance duringthe televisedbroadcastas they compete not only for prizes, but for a chance to make their imprint in the sands of time.”
Now in its seventh year, InterswitchSPAK is a flagship CSR initiative of Interswitch Group to support and empower young Africans through STEM education. The programme is designed to build a pipeline of future scientists, engineers, inventors, and technology innovators who will help shape Africa’s future.