Students from public schools in Abia State, representing Nigeria, have emerged overall champions at the 2026 International Schools Debate Championship in Doha, Qatar, winning the tournament’s top prize and three other major awards.
The five-member team, presented by Presidential School Debate Nigeria, also secured 12 additional laurels after competing against more than 84 teams from eight countries at the championship.
The competition was coordinated by Vocara Institute and hosted by the QatarDebate Centre at Georgetown University, Doha.
Team Nigeria competed against students from Jordan, India, Qatar, the Philippines, Kenya and other countries before progressing through the preliminary rounds and qualifying for the finals.
The team defeated competitors from the Philippines, Jordan, India and Qatar on its way to the final.
At the end of the championship, the Nigerian contingent won the Best International School Debate Team award, described as the biggest prize of the tournament.
It also won Overall Best Team in the Junior Category, Best Leadership Award and Best Debater Award, in addition to 12 laurels for outstanding performances.
The team comprised Christian Chinweotitom Esther, Chikodi Maureen, Akamnonu Franklin, Ifeanyichukwu Prisca and Simon Divine.
The students were led by the Executive Chairman of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, Ambassador Lydia Ezihe Onuoha, alongside representatives of the Presidency and Presidential School Debate Nigeria.
The achievement was announced by the Chief Press Secretary to the Abia State Governor, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, in a statement issued on Sunday.
Ukoha attributed the performance to the intellectual capacity of students in the state’s public schools and the government’s ongoing education reforms.
“This historic victory has once again demonstrated the strength of Abia’s new education model under His Excellency, Dr. Alex C. Otti and the intellectual capacity of students in Abia public schools,” he said.
“The Abia Debate Team has made Abia and Nigeria proud.”
The championship featured more than 84 groups from eight countries, while the QatarDebate Centre, established by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development in 2008, serves as Qatar’s national debating organisation.
The latest feat places students from Abia’s public schools at the centre of Nigeria’s performance at the international competition and adds to the state’s recent participation in academic contests beyond Nigeria.
