Two Nigerian teenagers, Nafisa Abdullah Aminu, 17 and and Ruqayya Fema, 15,  have been named the World Best in English Language Skills at the 2025 TeenEagle Global Finals held in London, United Kingdom.

Representing Nigeria through the Nigerian Tulip International College, Nafisa and Ruqayyah outshone over 20,000 participants from 69 countries, marking a historic achievement that has brought global academic recognition to both her state and country.

The TeenEagle competition is an internationally recognised contest that assesses English proficiency, critical thinking, and communication skills among students from both English-speaking and non-English-speaking nations.

Nafisa’s win was confirmed in a statement by the head of her family, Hassan Salifu, who attributed her success to dedication, discipline, and the enabling support of the state government.

“Our daughter’s global success would not have been possible without the visionary support for education by His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni, whose efforts have brought international honour to our state and nation,” Salifu said, as quoted by Leadership.

He also noted that Nafisa outperformed students from native English-speaking countries, a feat that, according to him, highlights her intelligence and preparation.

“Nafisa’s success is a testament to the power of educational investment. Governor Buni’s commitment has not only transformed schools in the state but also positioned Yobe and Nigeria on the global stage,” the family added.

Governor Mai Buni of Yobe has congratulated the two teenagers for the feats.

This is contained in a statement by Governor Buni’s Director-General, Press and Media Affairs, Alhaji Mamman Mohammed, in Damaturu on Tuesday.

Buni, according to the statement, described the outstanding performance as a great honour to the state and country.

“These are great feats that make us proud and justify the government’s investment in the education sector,” he said.

Buni said that he had approved a grand reception to honour the winners at a later date.

The Governor pledged that his administration would continue to subsidise education for every child in the state to have the opportunity to go to school, and appealed to parents for cooperation.

He stated that Nafisa and Rukayya were both beneficiaries of his scholarship programme, covering full tuition for 890 students at the College.

Buni added that there were about 40,000 students on the state government’s scholarship, studying various courses at universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria and overseas.

“A few months ago, the state celebrated the graduation of 167 beneficiaries of the state-funded scholarship programme, who graduated in medical sciences, computer science and engineering from Indian Universities,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the college was built and funded by the Yobe Government, but managed by Turks.

Their victory has sparked celebrations in Yobe and beyond, with family members extending appreciation to Governor Buni and the staff at NTIC for nurturing their academic potential.