Closing Nigeria’s Learning Nigeria’s struggle to improve foundational learning outcomes is bigger than any single school, teacher or education programme. But as government, schools and development organisations work to address gaps in basic education, private-sector initiatives are increasingly creating additional platforms through which children can learn, compete and develop confidence.
One example is the MTN mPulse Spelling Bee, which has opened entries for its eighth edition, giving primary and secondary school students aged 9 to 15 across Nigeria an opportunity to test their vocabulary, compete nationally and develop their language skills.
The 2026 competition, running from July 20 to November 28, will begin with online qualifying rounds before moving into physical regional contests in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Abeokuta. It will culminate in a Grand Finale in Lagos, where 20 finalists will compete for scholarships, cash prizes, ICT devices and the title of “MTN CEO for a Day.”
The programme comes against the backdrop of persistent challenges in Nigeria’s basic education system.
UNICEF reported in 2023 that only one in four Nigerian children aged 7 to 14 could read with comprehension or solve a simple arithmetic problem. More recent national learning assessments conducted by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in collaboration with UNICEF have continued to highlight gaps in learning outcomes across basic education.
The figures point to a challenge that extends beyond school enrolment. Getting children into classrooms is only part of the task; ensuring that they acquire foundational skills that allow them to read, understand information and progress in other areas of learning is equally important.
The World Bank describes reading as a “gateway” to learning in other subjects, noting that children who struggle to read can also face difficulties progressing in mathematics, science and the humanities.
This is where private-sector education initiatives can complement broader efforts to improve learning outcomes — not by replacing the role of government or schools, but by creating additional opportunities for children to practise skills, discover interests and receive recognition for their abilities.
The MTN mPulse Spelling Bee is built around one of those opportunities: language.
Preparing for a spelling competition can require students to learn the pronunciation and meaning of unfamiliar words and understand how they are used. That process can encourage children to engage with dictionaries, books, school texts and other reading materials as they prepare for the competition.
The competitive element gives the learning process an additional incentive. Students are not simply learning words for a classroom exercise; they are preparing for an opportunity to test themselves against other students from across the country.
The programme’s national structure is also designed to broaden participation.
The competition starts digitally, allowing eligible students nationwide to participate in the practice and qualifying stages. The top 3,000 students, with 500 selected from each geopolitical zone, will then advance to regional contests in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Abeokuta before the finalists proceed to Lagos.
According to Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, the programme is intended to create opportunities for children to “learn, compete and dream bigger,” while ensuring that talent can emerge from different parts of the country.
The initiative also recognises that improving learning outcomes involves more than the students themselves.
Top participating schools in each region are eligible for prizes of up to ₦1 million, while outstanding teachers will receive incentives. By including schools and educators, the programme places the wider learning environment alongside the individual student.
This broader approach is important because private-sector education interventions can have greater relevance when they are connected to the institutions and people already responsible for children’s education.
The previous edition offers an example of the opportunities created through the platform.
At the 2025 Grand Finale, Oreoluwa Alayande emerged as the national champion, winning scholarships, cash prizes and ICT devices, as well as the opportunity to take on the “MTN CEO for a Day” role.
For this year’s participants, the immediate attraction may be the opportunity to win prizes or reach the national final. But the potential value of programmes such as the mPulse Spelling Bee extends beyond the competition itself.
A child preparing for a spelling bee may spend more time reading, expand their vocabulary and become more confident using language. A teacher may gain recognition and incentives for supporting students. A school may receive resources that can benefit its wider learning environment.
These are relatively small interventions when measured against the scale of Nigeria’s education challenge. They do not, on their own, resolve the country’s learning gaps. But they demonstrate one way private-sector investment can contribute to the wider ecosystem around basic education.
For Nigeria, closing the learning gap will ultimately require sustained action across classrooms, communities, government and the private sector.
The role of private companies in that effort may therefore be most meaningful when their programmes go beyond one-off donations and create sustained opportunities for children to learn, practise skills and discover their potential.
The MTN mPulse Spelling Bee represents one such platform. Its ultimate measure may not only be the number of children who compete or the prizes awarded at the Grand Finale, but the extent to which participation encourages children to engage more deeply with learning and gives schools and teachers additional support in developing young talent.
In a country where foundational learning remains a major challenge, every additional opportunity to help children read, learn, compete and build confidence has a place in the broader effort to close the gap.
