The Headquarters of the Western Naval Command has concluded the 2026 Chief of the Naval Staff Annual Inter School Quiz, Debate and STEM Competition with impressive performances from students drawn from Nigerian Navy Secondary Schools across the command.
The two day academic and innovation contest ended on May 15, 2026, at the auditorium of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria located within NNS QUORRA, Apapa, Lagos.
The competition was organised under the theme, “Advancing Academic Excellence Through Debate, Quiz and STEM Innovation,” as part of efforts to deepen intellectual development, critical reasoning and scientific creativity among students.
Participating schools included Nigerian Navy Secondary School Ojo, Nigerian Navy Secondary School Abeokuta, Nigerian Navy Secondary School Ogbomosho and Nigerian Navy Secondary School Imeri.
The annual competition, conducted at command level, was designed to prepare outstanding students for future national academic engagements, especially the national debate competition scheduled for December 2026.
Declaring the event open, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, who was represented by the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, described the programme as strategic to nation building.
Mustapha said the Nigerian Navy remained committed to raising intellectually sound, technologically driven and morally disciplined students capable of contributing to national growth and global competitiveness.
He noted that the competition reflected the Nigerian Navy’s long standing investment in quality education, innovation and leadership development within its secondary school system.
The opening day featured intense quiz sessions, debate contests and STEM innovation presentations that drew applause from guests, teachers and education stakeholders present at the venue.
At the end of the first day, Nigerian Navy Secondary School Abeokuta emerged winner of the quiz competition, while Nigerian Navy Secondary School Ojo secured first position in the STEM Innovation category.
In the debate contest, Nigerian Navy Secondary School Imeri and Nigerian Navy Secondary School Ojo qualified for the junior debate final.
Similarly, Nigerian Navy Secondary School Imeri and Nigerian Navy Secondary School Ogbomosho advanced to the senior debate final held during the closing session of the event.
Final results announced at the end of the competition showed that Nigerian Navy Secondary School Ogbomosho won the award for Best Senior Debate Team.
The Best Junior Debate Team award went to Nigerian Navy Secondary School Ojo following a commanding performance during the finals.
In the quiz category, Nigerian Navy Secondary School Abeokuta clinched the Junior Quiz title, while Nigerian Navy Secondary School Imeri emerged winner of the Senior Quiz competition.
Speaking during the closing ceremony, the Western Naval Command Admin Officer, Commodore Hyacinth Nwaka, commended the students for displaying brilliance, teamwork, confidence and innovation throughout the competition.
Nwaka said the debate sessions revealed critical thinking and eloquence among the students, while the STEM exhibitions showcased the ingenuity and problem solving abilities of young Nigerians.
According to him, the event further demonstrated the commitment of the Nigerian Navy leadership under Vice Admiral Idi Abbas towards promoting academic excellence, technological advancement and character development among students.
He also praised the support of the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, as well as the contributions of teachers, judges, coordinators and members of the organising committee for ensuring a successful outing.
Addressing the students, Nwaka urged them to remain disciplined, focused and committed to innovation, integrity, patriotism and hard work, stressing that the future of the nation rests on the strength of young intellectuals.
Also speaking, debate moderator Awurum Ifeanyi, who represented Royal Rhetorics alongside Akintunde Peter, described the competition as highly successful and professionally coordinated.
He said the participating students demonstrated strong understanding of the rules, impressive communication skills and remarkable confidence throughout the debate, quiz and STEM sessions, adding that the overall performance rating of the contestants stood at about 80 per cent.