… as the outstanding schools were presented with gifts
Learn Africa Education Development Foundation has rewarded the three top-performing students in the 2024 NECO examinations with cash prizes exceeding N2 million, and other gifts in a move to promote academic excellence.
Emeke Iwerebon, the chairman of Learn Africa Plc, in his speech at the 2025 Learn Africa-NECO Excellence Award, emphasised that the gesture, aimed at celebrating hard work and encouraging a culture of merit, reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to educational development in Nigeria.
“Today is a day of celebration, a day when we pause to acknowledge excellence, reward diligence, and shine a light on the bright future of our nation, represented by the outstanding students we honour here,” he said.
Iwerebon explained that the NECO Excellence Awards administered by the Learn Africa Education Development Foundation is guided by a firm and enduring belief that excellence should not only be nurtured but also celebrated and rewarded.
“Since its inception, the award has provided a platform to recognise outstanding academic performance and to inspire countless students to strive for the highest standards in their educational journey,” he noted.
He emphasised that Nigerians should see education as a collective responsibility.
“Governments, corporate organisations, educators, parents, and communities must continue to work together to create opportunities for our children to thrive.
“At Learn Africa, we are proud to play our part and will continue to do so with passion and purpose,” he said.
Emmanuella Adeyemo, a 17-year-old former student of Our God Reigns Crystal School, Oju-Ore in Ogun State, emerged the overall winner of the NECO 2024/25 Excellence Awards.
For her outstanding performance, she was rewarded with a prize of N1 million. Adeyemo had an A1 in the nine subjects she sat in the June/July NECO for senior school candidates in 2024.
Victor Nwachukwu from St. Paul’s Academy, Jos, who is currently student of Medicine and Surgery at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, came second and was rewarded with a prize money of N750,000, Victory Watt from The Crescent International High School, Sango Ota, presently studying Veterinary Medicine at the University of Ibadan, came third and received the sum of N500,000 as prize money.
The various schools that nurtured the students were also presented with gifts.
Benjamin Bargu, the acting director of the Southwest Zonal Directorate at NECO, commended Learn Africa Education Development Foundation for the awards and desired that other companies emulate their good works.
“Learn Africa Foundation, through this award, is contributing its quota to national building and trying to motivate students to really work hard.
“My message to other companies is that they join the exemplary work, so we can all move education to the highest level, and reward hard work. NECO will be very happy to see this kind of event taking place in other states of the federation,” he said.
Bargu emphasised that the students’ reward model is in tandem with NECO’s initiative geared towards rewarding hard work across the council’s various departments in each of the state offices.
“This will help students to concentrate and do their best, and when they come out with excellence, it will be to the glory and development of the country.
“Just as the NECO reward system motivates staff to do more, it provides more effective service to the clients.
“This year’s award for productivity is even scheduled for September 18 and is taking place at the council headquarters in Minna, Niger State,” he noted.
Furthermore, Bargu disclosed that NECO conducts SSCE internal and SSCE external, basic, gifted, and the National Common Entrance Examinations, in which the highest performing students from these examinations are awarded with scholarships.
