Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies has announced the emergence of the top 81 students in Season 8 of InterswitchSPAK, its flagship Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) competition for senior secondary school students across Nigeria.
The outstanding students emerged following the successful completion of the national pre-qualifying examinations, which attracted over 21,700 participants from secondary schools nationwide. The successful candidates distinguished themselves through exceptional performance in the examination, earning places in the next stage of the competition.
This year’s participation represents an approximated 19.7 per cent increase over the 18,200+ students who registered for Season 7, further underscoring the growing national interest in STEM education and reinforcing InterswitchSPAK’s position as one of Nigeria’s foremost platforms for identifying, nurturing and rewarding exceptional young scientific talent.
The 81 successful candidates will now proceed to the next phase of the competition, where they will undergo further assessments at the highly anticipated televised stages airing from November 2026 to January 2027, gaining the opportunity to compete for tertiary education scholarships and prizes worth over ₦40 million.
Commenting on the announcement, Tomi Ogunlesi, Divisional Head for Brands Communications, Content & CSR Interswitch remarked that;
“The emergence of these 81 exceptional students is a testament to the incredible talent, resilience and promise that exists among young Nigerians. At Interswitch, we believe that investing in STEM education is critical to building the innovators, problem-solvers and technology leaders who will shape Africa’s future. While we celebrate those advancing to the next stage, we are equally proud of every student who participated and demonstrated the courage to challenge themselves and pursue excellence.”
Interswitch also acknowledged the invaluable support of parents, teachers and participating schools, noting that their encouragement and commitment have remained instrumental to the sustained success and growing impact of InterswitchSPAK.
Now in its eighth season, InterswitchSPAK continues to provide a national platform that rewards academic excellence while equipping outstanding students with opportunities for mentorship, exposure and life-changing educational support. Beyond the competition itself, the initiative reflects Interswitch’s long-standing commitment to advancing education, promoting innovation and developing the human capital required to drive Africa’s digital future.
As the competition progresses, the remaining contestants will continue through a rigorous selection process designed to identify Nigeria’s brightest STEM talents, culminating in the televised competition where the country’s most exceptional students will compete before a national audience for life-changing scholarships and recognition.
For more information and updates on InterswitchSPAK Season 8, visit www.interswitchspak.com or follow InterswitchSPAK on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and X.
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