The Federal Ministry of Education has addressed widespread claims on social media concerning the monetary awards given to Nigerian winners of the TeenEagle 2024/2025 Global Competition in the United Kingdom.
In August 2025, TeenEagle Global Finals champion, Nafisah Abdullahi, received ₦200,000, while Nigeriastartupact.ng later reported that Muhammad Manga, CEO of Manga Automobiles, granted ₦800,000 to Nafisa Abdullahi Aminu, the winner of the TeenEagle World English Language Competition. Altogether, Nigerian students reportedly received ₦1.7 million in prizes on August 29, 2025.
In a statement shared Thursday on its official X handle, the Ministry emphasized that the cash gifts were personal contributions from the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and not sourced from government funds.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry wishes to state categorically that the monetary tokens presented at the national recognition event held on Thursday, 28th August 2025, were personal gifts from the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa. These gifts were not funded by the Federal Government or the Federal Ministry of Education,” the statement read.
Dr. Alausa had previously explained on his verified social media platform that the gesture was meant to acknowledge and inspire the young champions. “This gift was just a token of my appreciation of the effort made by these young girls and to also serve as encouragement to other girls and young children in Nigeria to excel,” he stated.
The Ministry clarified that its budgetary provisions are not designed for direct cash awards or personal gifts. Instead, government funds are dedicated to scholarships and structured educational support for students in public tertiary institutions, including universities, colleges of education, and polytechnics.
The statement urged Nigerians to dismiss reports suggesting government involvement in the awards, labelling such claims as “false and misleading.” It further stressed that Dr. Alausa’s action should be viewed strictly as an act of goodwill and personal generosity aimed at motivating young Nigerians to achieve greater success.
Reaffirming its commitment, the Ministry underscored that it will continue to recognize excellence, strengthen the education sector, and drive President Bola Tinubu’s vision of education as a foundation for national growth.
What You Should Know
The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that the cash awards given to Nigerian TeenEagle winners were personal gifts from Minister Dr. Maruf Alausa, not government funds.
The Ministry emphasized that government resources are reserved for scholarships and structured educational support, urging the public to disregard misleading reports about the awards.
