Kwara State has emerged winner of the 2026 Presidential Schools Debate Championship for the fifth consecutive time, defeating Lagos State 5–1 in the final held in Abuja.

The victory further extends the state’s winning record in the national academic competition organised by the Federal Ministry of Education.

The winning team comprised four pupils: Halimoh Abdulazeez from Ilorin West, Khadija Kazeem from Offa, Omolola Ibrahim from Moro and Samaila Daniel from Ilorin East.

The pupils secured their place in the final after overcoming representatives from Edo, Delta, Katsina and Niger states before defeating Lagos in the decisive contest.

Reacting to the achievement, Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, congratulated the pupils, describing their performance as a remarkable accomplishment and a reflection of their dedication and hard work.

In a statement shared on his Facebook page on Saturday, the governor commended the four representatives for sustaining the state’s dominance in the national competition.

AbdulRazaq also acknowledged the contributions of the State Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the teachers who prepared the pupils and their parents.

He attributed the achievement, alongside other successes recorded by Kwara pupils in national competitions, to his administration’s investment in the education sector over the past seven years.

The governor said the latest victory had further encouraged his administration to strengthen its commitment to improving education across the state.

Meanwhile, the victorious pupils received a trophy and a cash prize of N500,000, presented by the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Aisha Garba.

Garba congratulated the team and commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the national debate competition, which provides young learners with opportunities to develop their intellectual abilities.

In a related development, AbdulRazaq congratulated the Chairman of Kwara SUBEB, Professor Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, on his recognition as the Best SUBEB Chairman in Nigeria.

He described the award as a well-deserved recognition of Adaramaja’s contributions to the development of basic education in Kwara State and the country.

The Presidential Schools Debate is designed to promote reading culture, critical thinking, research abilities and effective public speaking among primary school pupils.

The 2026 edition marked the 66th championship, bringing together pupils from public primary schools across Nigeria to demonstrate their debating and intellectual skills.