AFRICA | An exceptional 16-year-old Nigerian boy named Saint Ovie Riman has achieved remarkable success after defeating over 18,000 contestants to win the National Science Competition organized by Interswitch Group.
His victory earned him the prestigious title of National STEM Champion at the 7th edition of the InterswitchSPAK competition, Nigeria’s largest STEM contest for senior secondary school students.
For his outstanding performance, Riman received a ₦15 million tertiary education scholarship spread across five years, a brand-new laptop, and monthly stipends to support his academic journey
Out of 18,000 registered students nationwide, participants underwent a computer-based qualifying examination. Only 81 outstanding students from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones advanced through the competitive stages — and Saint Riman emerged the overall winner.
Saint's Story and How He Did It
Riman’s victory did not happen overnight. He had previously won the Adewale STEM Contest in Remo Constituency, Ogun State, not once, but twice, first as a fresh SS2 student and again as a fresh SS3 student. The contest is an educational initiative sponsored by Michael Adewale Adesanya.
Additionally, he won the One-Day Proprietor Award at his school, emerged 1st position in the senior category of the 2025 Maths Face-Off and he consistently ranked among the top students in his school.
As a student of Adedokun International Group of Schools, Riman has represented his institution in numerous external competitions, earning certificates and accolades from reputable organizations while promoting the school’s image through his excellence.
Beyond academic brilliance, Saint Riman demonstrated strong leadership qualities.
He led the student body and engaged directly with top school administrators, collaborated with prefects to ensure smooth school operations, represented students during official visits and meetings and served as Student Coordinator of the JETS Club (Junior Engineers, Technicians, and Scientists).
His journey through InterswitchSPAK required months of rigorous assessments, problem-solving challenges, and multi-stage evaluations, proving that his win was built on preparation, discipline, and resilience.
Looking forward, Riman aspires to become an Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Engineer. As a STEM enthusiast, he remains eager to deepen his knowledge and contribute meaningfully to technological innovation.
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