The Nigeria Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund on Wednesday launched the call for entries for the 12th edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition.
The entries, which opened on Wednesday, will close on August 7, while the 2026 winner will be announced at the grand finale of the competition scheduled for October 30.
According to the Sustainability Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Oluseye Olokun, at the launch held at the company’s office in Iganmu, Lagos, this year’s winner will, for the first time, receive a brand-new Honda HR-V in addition to the grand prize of N10m.
This is in addition to the package, which includes N30m in infrastructure for the winning teacher’s school, a one-year supply of Maltina, and international capacity-building training.
As was the case last year, the first runner-up will receive N5m, the second runner-up N3m, while the top teachers from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory will each receive N1m.
While noting that Kaduna, Lagos and Abuja produced the highest number of the over 2,000 entries received in the 2025 edition, Olokun expressed optimism that there would be an increase in entries this year.
Olokun said, “This competition was launched with the objectives of recognising and rewarding exceptional teachers and improving teachers’ passion. We have received over 11,700 entries since the inception of this competition.”
Thirty-two-year-old Yusuf Serah of Wisdom International School of Excellence, Abuja, won the 2025 edition.
Yusuf joined the roll call of past winners of the competition, including Mrs Rose Obi (Anambra, 2015); Mr Imoh Essien (Akwa Ibom, 2016); Mr Ariguzo Udochukwu (Delta, 2017); Mr Olasunkanmi Opeifa (Abuja, 2018); Mr Ezem (Abuja, 2019); Mrs Oluwabunmi Anani (Adamawa, 2020); Mr Abanike Taiye (Delta, 2021); Mr Ayiwulu Alaku (Plateau, 2022); Ms Adeola Adefemi (Lagos, 2023); and Mr Esomnofu Chidiebube (Nasarawa, 2024).
Also speaking at the launch of the 2026 edition, the Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries, Mr Uzodinma Odenigbo, said that over 300 teachers had been recognised as state or national champions since the competition began in 2015.
Odenigbo added that the Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund had also renovated or donated 430 classrooms and libraries across 80 communities in the country.
“We are committed to providing school infrastructure, thereby ensuring a conducive learning environment,” Odenigbo said.
Speaking on the recent wave of abductions of teachers and students in schools, Odenigbo stressed the need for the government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that schools are safe and secure for learning.
“We look forward to the swift return of those kidnapped in Oyo and Borno states,” Odenigbo added.
The event was attended by other representatives of Nigerian Breweries Plc, as well as those from Honda Manufacturing (Nigeria) Limited, Air Peace Limited, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Union Bank and the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, among other stakeholders.
