Interswitch Awards Over ₦35m to Top STEM Students at InterswitchSPAK 7.0 Finale

Interswitch Awards Over ₦35m to Top STEM Students at InterswitchSPAK 7.0 Finale

Lagos, Nigeria — January 21, 2026

Interswitch, Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce company, has awarded over ₦35 million in scholarships and prizes to outstanding Nigerian secondary school students at the grand finale of the seventh edition of the InterswitchSPAK National Science Competition.

The flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, widely regarded as Nigeria’s largest STEM competition for senior secondary school students, concluded after months of rigorous nationwide assessments and problem-solving challenges that attracted more than 18,000 participants.

Sixteen-year-old Saint Riman of Adedokun International Schools, Ota, Ogun State, emerged as the overall winner and was crowned Nigeria’s Best STEM Student. He received a ₦15 million university scholarship. David Okorie of Caleb International College, Magodo, Lagos State, finished as First Runner-Up and was awarded a ₦10 million scholarship, while David Solomonezemma of Deeper Life High School, Enugu State, clinched the Second Runner-Up position with a ₦5 million scholarship. All three winners also received brand-new laptops and other prizes.

Speaking at the award presentation, Dr. Cherry Eromosele, Executive Vice President, Group Marketing and Communications, Interswitch Group, praised the students for their discipline, resilience, and exceptional academic performance.

“InterswitchSPAK was created to inspire and reward excellence in STEM education while equipping young Africans with the skills needed to solve real-world challenges. By supporting these students, we are reaffirming our belief in the power of young people to shape Africa’s future through science and innovation,” she said.

Beyond the top three winners, other finalists were rewarded with laptops and cash prizes for their outstanding performances. Teachers of the finalists were also recognised and rewarded for their role in nurturing and developing young talent.

Now in its seventh year, InterswitchSPAK has grown into a respected national platform for identifying and empowering future scientists, engineers, technologists, and innovators. The programme underscores the impact of private sector investment in education as a driver of innovation, merit-based advancement, and national development.

The conclusion of InterswitchSPAK 7.0 further reinforces Interswitch’s commitment to advancing STEM education and preparing Nigerian students to compete on the global stage, while contributing to Africa’s innovation-led socio-economic growth.