Students from Abia State public schools, representing Nigeria, emerged as overall champions at the 2026 International Schools Debate Championship in Doha, Qatar, defeating teams from six countries and winning four major awards. The victory, announced in a statement on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Ukoha Ukoha, saw the Nigerian team claim the tournament's biggest prize, the Best International School Debate Team award, along with 12 individual laurels.
Victory Details and Awards
The championship, coordinated by the Vocara Institute and hosted by the QatarDebate Centre at Georgetown University in Doha, featured more than 84 teams from eight countries. Nigeria's delegation, presented by Presidential School Debate Nigeria, consisted entirely of students from Abia State public schools. The team competed against teams from Jordan, India, Qatar, Kenya, and the Philippines, progressing through preliminary rounds to reach the final.
In addition to the Best International School Debate Team award, Team Nigeria also secured the Overall Best Team – Junior Category, the Best Leadership Award, the Best Debater Award, and 12 individual laurels for outstanding performances. The victorious team members were Christian Chinweotitom Esther, Chikodi Maureen, Akamnonu Franklin, Ifeanyichukwu Prisca, and Simon Divine, led by the Executive Chairman of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, Amb. Lydia Onuoha, alongside representatives of the Presidency and Presidential School Debate Nigeria.
Government and Official Reactions
Reacting to the victory, Ukoha said: "This historic victory has once again demonstrated the strength of Abia's new education model under Gov. Alex Otti and the intellectual capacity of students in Abia public schools. The Abia Debate Team has made Abia and Nigeria proud."
Abia State Commissioner for Basic Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, described the victory as proof that ongoing reforms in the state's education sector are producing results. "We feel elated now. What we are doing is that we are transforming the educational sector, and this outcome now is one of the expectations, and they are indicators that what we are doing is working," Ubochi said. He added that the students would receive a proper welcome and celebration after returning to Nigeria.
Plans for Celebration and Impact
Ubochi stated: "Let them come back first. When they come back, we are going to host and celebrate them. They are not the only ones. There are others that we are going to unveil by the time we celebrate all our victors together, the winners." He noted that one student won the national essay competition organised by the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) nationally, adding that the state would celebrate all contingents that have represented it well.
The QatarDebate Centre, founded in 2008 by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, is Qatar's national debating organisation and regularly hosts international debate competitions. This victory adds to a growing list of international academic achievements by Nigerian students, demonstrating that despite challenges in the country's education sector, young Nigerians continue to compete successfully on the global stage when given the opportunity.
