Daniel, a student of Intimacy with Christ International, Nasarawa, won the competition after spelling eight words correctly in a spell-off against 11-year-old Oluwadamilola Adeolu in the finale, which was held at the MTN Head Office in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The mPulse Spelling Bee Competition aims to encourage academic growth and self-improvement for students in primary and secondary schools between the ages of 9 and 15. It began in August 2023, with participation from over 30,000 students across the country.

The 12-year-old champion will assume leadership of MTN Nigeria for a day and become the face of mPulse for a year.

Speaking at the event, Obiageli Ugboma, the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, MTN Nigeria, congratulated the contestants for making it into the finals, whilst reiterating MTN’s commitment to promoting digital literacy in Nigeria, 

“Congratulations to our finalists. The mPulse Spelling Bee Competition is a platform that empowers young Nigerians to become great spellers, public speakers and attain their full potential. As the next set of frontrunners from this initiative, we are proud of your brilliance and excited about the impact you will have on other young ones.  It is our hope to see you thrive individually and contribute collectively to the growth of Nigeria and the broader African development story.”

Daniel will receive a N2.5 million scholarship grant, laptop, smartphone, and an MTN goody bag in addition to being MTN Nigeria’s CEO for a day. The spelling bee champion’s school will also receive cutting-edge ICT devices, including 10 laptops and 10 Hynet Modems, while her Spelling Coach/teacher will receive a cash prize of N500,000.

Sharing his excitement at emerging triumphant, Daniel, beaming with joy said, “It feels like a dream to me, I am speechless. It was a tough competition, but I am very happy I came this far and won in the end.”

Alongside Daniel, the first and second runners-up, Oluwadamilola Adeolu and Ajibola Flourish, both from St Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, and other finalists received prizes totalling over N10 million as well as numerous goody bags.

The mPulse Spelling Bee is one of many initiatives organised by MTN to enable students in primary and secondary schools across the country excel through healthy competitions, engage with our community, and highlight our commitment to education.

Adrenaline causes tiny muscles beneath our skin to contract, tugging at the roots of the hairs that cover our bodies.

At that moment, we are gobsmacked, and excited and wouldn’t want to thread the feeling for anything in the world.  That is what happens when we experience word wizards spelling a broad selection of words with varying degrees of difficulty.

We’ve witnessed this occurrence repeatedly, as seen in the case of Snow George, a 15-year-old secondary school student who astounded the audience by triumphing over 16,000 participants to become the 2020 champion of the MTN mPulse Spelling Bee competition.

Snow as at the time of the competition was a student of Starville School, Abuja. Although it was an end-to-end virtual competition, she had familiarised herself with technology so much that the struggle of how to navigate her devices didn’t exist. In fact, her victory earned her the title of the first-ever winner of the MTN mPulse spelling bee competition.

Of course! Such a feat deserves to be rewarded, so the scholarship she was offered worth millions of naira courtesy of MTN Nigeria and other amazing prizes she accumulated for herself, her English teacher, and her school was befitting.

Akinyele Ademoyegun, a young and confident student from Kaydel Comprehensive College in Lagos, displayed his calm yet competitive nature during the digital spelling bee competition.

Despite being just 12 years old and an SS 1 student, he defeated over 13,000 participants by seamlessly spelling challenging words like Antiquarian, Herbaceous, Kemite, and Abyss, ultimately securing his victory in the competition in 2021.

Akinyele’s dedication to practice paid off, as he revealed that he extensively studied for the competition. He diligently read his dictionary day and night, putting in the effort to familiarise himself with tough words. This commitment to preparation undoubtedly contributed to his impressive performance in the spelling bee competition.

With this extra level of attention, his win didn’t come as a surprise, especially to his English teacher who had predicted his success thanks to his focus and sheer determination.

A scholarship grant of N2 million, a laptop, a smartphone, an mPulse goody bag was awarded to him. Additionally, the English teacher, Mrs. Anene Oluebube, received N350,000 in cash and a new laptop.

Kaydel Group of Schools was also presented with 10 laptops and 10 Hynet modems from MTN.

Kate Ene David, the exceptionally brilliant secondary school student from Intimacy with Christ Secondary School, Nasarawa State will go down in history as the first-ever female CEO of MTN Nigeria. How impressive!

The unassuming 13-year-old contestant, known for her composed and reserved disposition, initially went unnoticed in the competition. However, she steadily progressed from the initial top 20 participants to reach the top 5, and eventually secured a spot in the top 3.

It was only at this point that whispers about her potential victory began to circulate, as the audience started to acknowledge the impressive spelling abilities concealed beneath her calm and collected demeanor.

Kate won the competition when she correctly spelled the word “acquiesce” defeating two other top spellers. The phenomenal moment was captured across multiple clicks of cameras from the media and awed audience. Kate was the star of the competition.

She progressed to assume the position of CEO at MTN Nigeria’s HQ for a day. During her tenure as CEO, she met with the company’s executives.

At a press conference held later that day, she announced the launch of mPulse education data bundles that students now enjoy today. The bundles offer discounted rates for students and young people.

This remarkable day is not such that the 13-year-old champion will forget in a hurry.

Snow George, Akinyele Ademoyegun, and Kate Ene David exemplify a tale of perseverance and commitment. Achieving the status of a youthful prodigy and linguistic virtuoso is no simple feat. It demands a higher level of determination beyond the typical student endeavours to maintain their exceptional standing.

The 2023 edition of the MTN mPulse Spelling Bee competition is now open for primary and secondary school students between 9 and 15 years of age.

This year’s edition is a blend of digital and physical events with the grand finale to happen at the MTN Plaza, Falomo, Ikoyi.

This year’s top 20 finalists will rack up over N18 million worth of prizes including cutting-edge smartphones, laptops, goody bags, and many more.  The winner of the competition will be rewarded with a scholarship grant and will become MTN Nigeria’s CEO for a day, and the face of mPulse for a year!

Students may register to participate on the mPulse Website, provided they are registered on the mPulse plan.

Students who want to migrate to the mPulse plan should text the word ‘mPulse’ to 344 or dial *344*1#. The mPulse website features learning resources and practice materials that participants can leverage for the competition.

The grand finale of the competition is scheduled to be held in Lagos.

Targeted at primary and secondary school students between 9 and 15 years old, the competition is a proposition launched in 2020 to inspire a love for language and learning while promoting healthy competition among students.

Since its inception, the competition has empowered over 40,000 Nigerian students with digital skills, educational materials, and adequate resources to maximize their potential.

Speaking on the brand’s dedication to education and youth empowerment, Adia Sowho, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of MTN Nigeria, expressed the brand’s unwavering commitment to education and youth empowerment.

She said, “Words are the bridge to knowledge, we aim to build the future of our young learners, one letter at a time. The MTN mPulse Spelling Bee Competition is not just about spelling; it’s about nurturing a profound appreciation for language and instilling a passion for lifelong learning. We hope to ignite the flames of curiosity and excellence in these bright young minds, and we look forward to our next CEO for a Day.”

Snow George won the inaugural edition, securing a two-million-naira scholarship, a laptop, a smartphone, and mPulse goody bag brimming with gifts for her teacher and school. In 2022, the coveted title was claimed by Akinyele Ademoyegun walked away with rewards for himself, his English teacher, and his school.

Last year, Kate Ene David from Nasarawa joined the League of Champions, subsequently making history as the first-ever female CEO MTN Nigeria for a day. Kate, along with the other top finalists received several prizes.

This year’s edition will reward the top 20 finalists with over N18 million worth of prizes, Laptops, smartphones, and goody bags. The winner’s school will also be presented with cutting-edge ICT devices to facilitate learning.

In addition to these, the winner will go ahead to become the next MTN Nigeria’s CEO for a day, and the face of MTN mPulse for 0ne year.

The competition is open to primary and secondary school students between the ages of 9 and 15.  Students may register to participate at the mPulse website, provided they are subscribed to the mPulse plan.

Students who want to migrate to the mPulse plan should text the word ‘mPulse’ to 344 or dial *344*1#. The mPulse website features learning resources and practice materials that participants can leverage for the competition.

On February 1, 2023, MTN Nigeria announced Kate Ene David as its CEO for a day following her emergence as the winner of the 2022 MTN mPulse Spelling Bee out of over 11,000 participants who registered for the competition. 11,000! Yes, you just read that.

Kate, an inspiring 14-year-old student from Intimacy with Christ Secondary School, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, assumed leadership of Africa’s largest telecommunication network at 9am on Wednesday.

From our CEO for a day, Ene Kate David to you, welcome to the month of love and happy new month! #MTNmPulseSpellingBee pic.twitter.com/p1VwS5k9Mh

— MTN Nigeria (@MTNNG) February 1, 2023

In his symbolic handover, Karl Toriola applauded Kate’s brilliance while reiterating the purpose of the initiative, “It has always been our brand commitment to support the government and educational institutions in producing students that are primed for global competitiveness. With that in mind, I am confident that our CEO for a day is on the path to a great future. We are happy to be a part of what promises to be an extraordinary journey.”

In her capacity as the CEO, Kate has met with MTN’s executives, and members of the media where she announced key initiatives, including the unveiling of additional mPulse education data bundles.

“The opportunity to be MTN Nigeria’s CEO is a dream come true. It means a lot to me that I have made myself, my parents, and my school proud as a young CEO. I am certain that what I have learned here will prepare me for a brighter future”, Kate stated, when asked what the CEO position meant to her.

In addition to her CEO status, she has been awarded a N2.5m scholarship grant, a laptop, smartphone, and an MTN goody bag. MTN also presented a N350,000 grant and state-of-the-art ICT devices to her English teacher and school respectively.

Rounding off the event, the Chief Human Resource Officer, MTN Nigeria, Esther Akinnukawe appreciated the staff members for their warm hospitality. “We can all admit that today was significant, especially because of the lasting impact this event will have in the life of Kate and how much of an inspiration it will serve to the young ones out there. At MTN, we believe that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern, connected life and will continue to provide opportunities that support students to learn and grow.”

The MTN mPulse Spelling Bee is a self-development proposition designed by MTN Nigeria to promote digital literacy and academic excellence and thus empower the nation’s educational sector.

PHOTO NEWS from the event:

Snow George emerged the winner at the first edition receiving a two-million-naira scholarship, a laptop, smartphone and mPulse goody bag.

Her school, Starville School Abuja, received ICT devices with the top 20 finalists also receiving over N4m in cash and prizes.

Last year, 13-year-old Akinyele Ademoyegun of Kaydel Comprehensive College, Ikorodu, Lagos emerged as the champion, and over N7 million in cash and prizes such as smartphones and laptops were won by the top 20 spellers.

Akinyele’s school, Kaydel Comprehensive College received state-of-the-art ICT devices while his English teacher also received the sum of N350,000 cash and a laptop.

Speaking on this year’s edition, the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), MTN Nigeria, Adia Sowho said, “The mPulse Spelling Bee is designed to help students expand their vocabulary, engage in healthy competition and provide relevant resources to maximise their potential. We remain committed to providing more enabling platforms for youth education and empowerment in our communities and hope that this edition keeps our kids goal-oriented, competitive, and resilient to conquer challenges.”

This year’s competition will reward the top 20 spellers with over N8 million in cash prize, Laptops, smartphones, and more for student winners and their teachers. The spelling bee champion’s school will be rewarded with state-of-the-art ICT devices while also getting the opportunity to become MTN CEO for a day.

The competition is open to students between the ages of 9 and 15. Students may register to participate at the mPulse Website, provided they are registered on the mPulse plan. Students who want to migrate to the mPulse plan should text the word ‘mPulse’ to 344 or dial *344*1#.