Nigeria Loses Full Participation Status at International Mathematical Olympiad
By Oluwatobiloba Olukanni
Nigeria has reportedly lost its full participation status at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), one of the world’s most prestigious mathematics competitions for secondary school students.
The development became public on Thursday after an education advocate, when the CEO of Educare, Alex Onyia, disclosed on his X handle that Nigeria had been downgraded to an observer nation ahead of the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad scheduled to hold in Shanghai, China.
According to Onyia, the downgrade followed four consecutive years of the Federal Government’s inability to provide registration and travel funding for Nigerian students through the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), the agency responsible for coordinating the country’s participation in international mathematics competitions.
“Nigeria has now been delisted from the International Maths Olympiad, whose finals are happening in Shanghai, China, this July.
“It is one of the most prestigious academic competitions in the world. Nigeria can now only participate as an observer nation, while other countries can participate fully.
“This was because of the Ministry of Education’s inability to fund students for 4 consecutive years through the National Mathematical Center. It’s a big shame for Nigeria,”, Onyia stated.
The International Mathematical Olympiad is widely regarded as the highest-level global mathematics competition for secondary school students. Each year, participating countries send their brightest young mathematicians to compete and showcase their talents on the international stage.
Recall that the matter of the International Maths Olympiad was reported similarly when a 15-year-old student, Agbo Adoga from Graceland International School, Port Harcourt qualified to represent Nigeria at the International Mathematics Olympiad in China, would not compete because the Nigerian Ministry of Education did not have money to sponsor anybody, but denied that they were not aware that the management of Graceland International School, Port Harcourt, wrote to the Ministry of Education, soliciting sponsorship.
The reported loss of Nigeria’s full participation status has sparked concerns among education stakeholders, who say the development could limit opportunities for talented Nigerian students to gain global exposure and represent the country in one of the world’s most respected academic contests.
The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), founded in 1959, is regarded as the world’s premier mathematics competition for secondary school students. More than 100 countries participate annually, with each country permitted to field a team of up to six students alongside team leaders and coordinators.
Nigeria has participated in the competition for decades through the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), a Federal Government institution established in 1988 to identify and nurture mathematical talents, improve mathematics education, and prepare Nigerian students for international competitions.
The Centre describes talent identification and support for mathematical excellence as part of its core mandate.
