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Nigerian Breweries flags off Maltina Teacher of the Year 2025, calls for inclusive participation

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The Nigerian Breweries Plc, through the Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, has officially flagged off the 11th edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition for 2025, marking another chapter in its commitment to celebrating and rewarding excellence in teaching across Nigeria.

The event was on Tuesday June 24, 2025.

In his welcome address, the Corporate Affairs Director of Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Uzor Odigbo, who stood in for the Managing Director, Mr. Felix Ohiwerei, expressed gratitude to lead sponsors—Union Bank PLC and Air Peace—as well as supporting sponsor FCMB, for their sustained support.

“Your partnership has significantly helped us sustain and grow this initiative year after year,” he said. He highlighted the competition’s impact, noting that since its inception in 2015, over 278 teachers have been celebrated with 10 emerging as national champions.

“Many of them have gone on to accomplish great things… Through this platform, we have donated nine school infrastructure projects and sponsored international capacity development programmes in the UK and Finland,” he added.

Mrs. Sarah Agha, the new Marketing Director and the first female to hold the role in the company, delivered her debut press conference remark with enthusiasm.

“This is something very close to my heart… Teachers play a fundamental role in nourishing the minds and hearts of our children,” she said, promising this year’s edition would be “one of the best yet.”

She also announced a new promotional strategy: “For 2025, we will produce another 10-episode docuseries to go behind the scenes. My humble request is: let’s make Maltina Teacher of the Year go viral.”

Key numbers presented at the event show that over 9,000 entries have been received since inception, with 6,000+ valid entries. A total of 278 teachers have been awarded, 45+ classroom blocks have been renovated or built, and the initiative has reached over 75 communities.

In 2024 alone, more than 1,300 valid entries were recorded.

Last year’s winner, Esom Nofu Chigbundu, who has over 1.3 million social media followers, described the award as “life-changing.”

He said, “The award didn’t just put me in the spotlight—it gave me a family, credibility, and national voice… I now host international math classes and launched a national math competition.”

For the 2025 edition, the grand prize remains ₦10 million, while the first runner-up prize has increased from ₦3 million to ₦5 million and the second runner-up prize from ₦2.5 million to ₦3 million.

State champions will each receive ₦1 million. Entries are open from June 24 to August 22, 2025 via www.maltinateacheroftheyear.com.

Educational stakeholders present included representatives from NUT, TRCN, and ANCOPSS. Comrade Akinsoye Hassan, Lagos State NUT Chairman, commended the program but reiterated the need to include primary school teachers.

“If you can write your name, thank your teacher. But we must also consider the foundation—our primary teachers,” he stated passionately. Responding, Mr. Odigbo assured the gathering that an extensive impact assessment would be conducted to explore expanding the competition to primary school teachers in the future.

“We are running this edition alongside a full-scale evaluation to shape the next phase of this initiative,” he confirmed.

Mrs. Olufumilola Aluko of Union Bank emphasized the bank’s commitment through its Edu360 platform.

“This award matters. It elevates those who show up every day, often with little recognition,” she said, while quoting Henry Brooks Adams: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”

Mr. Oko Benna of Air Peace, speaking on the airline’s third year of partnership, called the initiative “transformative.”

He stated, “Without great teachers, there are no great doctors, engineers, leaders, or pilots.”

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