Three Nigerian students have brought international acclaim to the country after winning four gold medals at the Grand Finale of the International STEM Olympiad in Rome, Italy.
The Punch reported that the achievement was announced on Tuesday by education advocate and Educare CEO Alex Onyia, who sponsored the students’ participation after they emerged among the top performers at the Southeast Mathematics Olympiad.
Onyia first revealed the success in a post on X, writing, “The wait is over. We have two golds: Chimdiebube Onwubiko and Don Anele Munachimso. We are the best in the world!”
He later confirmed that another member of the Nigerian team, Onyedikachi Egejurum, had also secured a gold medal, while Don Anele added a second gold in Science.
“More good news. Don Anele Munachimso also won gold in Science. He is the best in world science. Remember, he is the best in IGCSE Chemistry in Nigeria. The investment is worth it,” Onyia wrote.
In a separate update, he added, “Onyedikachi Egejurum got a Gold. He is the best in Mathematics in the world Primary Category. This is the beginning of greatness for the country.”
The International STEM Olympiad was held at the Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma and featured contestants from more than 150 countries competing in Mathematics and Science.
Images shared from the event captured the Nigerian students receiving their medals during the award ceremony.
The medal winners—11-year-old Egejurum Onyedikachi, 13-year-old Onwubiko Chimdiebube and 17-year-old Don Anele Munachimso—earned the opportunity to represent Nigeria after finishing among the leading contestants at the Southeast Mathematics Olympiad.
The regional competition, organised by Onyia, attracted more than 11,500 participants from across southeastern Nigeria.
After qualifying, Onyia funded the students’ trip to Italy, covering their registration fees, visa processing, flights, accommodation and other travel expenses to ensure they could compete on the global stage.
Accompanied by their teachers, the trio represented Nigeria in the primary, junior and senior categories.
Ahead of the competition, Onyia expressed confidence in the team’s ability to excel, describing them as some of the country’s brightest young talents.
Speaking about Don Anele, who competed in the senior category, Onyia described him as one of Nigeria’s outstanding science students.
“He is currently the best in Chemistry for IGCSE in Nigeria. His head is filled with maths and science. He is such a gentle and well-behaved boy. He is a star,” he wrote before the competition.
He also commended 11-year-old Egejurum, who competed in the primary Mathematics category, saying he believed the young pupil had the ability to achieve a perfect score.
During the Olympiad, Onyia disclosed that Egejurum had opted to participate in the Science category despite having made no preparations for it.
“Our star boy, Egejurum Onyedikachi, decided to participate again today in the International STEM Olympiad finale, science category, unprepared… We are rooting for him to win double gold,” he wrote.
The students’ performance has drawn widespread praise, particularly at a time when Nigeria’s participation in major international academic competitions has declined.
Just weeks earlier, education stakeholders disclosed that Nigeria had been reduced to observer status at the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad in Shanghai, China, after missing several editions because of funding constraints.
Although the Federal Ministry of Education said it was unaware of the specific financial challenges behind Nigeria’s absence from the IMO, Onyia’s sponsorship of the Rome-bound students has been widely hailed as an example of how private support can help talented Nigerian students compete internationally.
With their latest triumph, Team Nigeria finished the competition with four gold medals. Don Anele Munachimso claimed two gold medals, including the world title in Science, Egejurum Onyedikachi emerged as the world’s best in the Primary Mathematics category, while Chimdiebube Onwubiko added another gold to complete an outstanding performance for Nigeria.
