Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to honour 17-year-old Nafisa Abdullah Aminu, a Nigerian student who recently emerged as the global winner of the 2025 TeenEagle English Language Competition in the United Kingdom.
Pantami made the appeal in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, urging the federal government to offer Nafisa a national reward equivalent to what was recently given to Nigeria’s victorious sports teams — Super Falcons and D’Tigress — for their continental achievements.
“Nafisa deserves recognition: $100,000, a flat, and an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON),” Pantami wrote.
Nafisa, a student of Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC) in Yobe State, outperformed over 20,000 participants from 69 countries, including native English-speaking nations, to claim the top spot at the TeenEagle Global Finals.
Pantami praised the teenager’s exceptional talent, determination, and the support provided by her school and parents. He emphasized that her international victory demonstrates that Nigerian students can thrive globally when given proper educational support.
Drawing comparisons, he noted that Super Falcons recently won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), while D’Tigress claimed their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title. Both teams were rewarded by the government with cash prizes, houses, and national honours.
“What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Nafisa and her English teacher deserve the same kind of reward,” Pantami added.
He stressed the importance of valuing academic excellence as much as sporting achievements, stating that education is the backbone of national development.
The federal government’s lavish gifts to female sports teams have sparked mixed reactions online. While many applauded the move, others criticized it as a case of misplaced priorities, arguing that academic achievers often go unnoticed or unrewarded.
