The InterswitchSPAK National Science Competition 8.0 has opened registration for SS2 science students across Nigeria, offering over ₦40 million in university scholarships and prizes to outstanding participants.
Organisers say the competition, regarded as one of Nigeria’s biggest Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiatives for secondary school students, aims to identify and support young talents in science-related fields. Thousands of schools across the country have already participated in previous editions of the programme.
According to the organisers, “InterswitchSPAK is the biggest Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) competition in Nigeria. Thousands of secondary schools in Nigeria have registered their students for a chance to win over ₦40 million worth of scholarships already.”
Eligible schools are allowed to register up to twenty SS2 science students each for the competition. However, mixed schools are required to include at least two female students among the candidates to encourage greater participation of girls in STEM.
One of the major changes in this year’s edition is the flexibility in writing the qualifying examination. The organisers explained that candidates will not need to travel to any examination centre because the test will be conducted online.
“You don’t need to travel to write the qualifying examination. The examination is fully online and can be written in your school, home or any convenient space,” the organisers stated.
The online Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the first stage of the competition will hold from Tuesday, June 9 to Tuesday, June 16, 2026. During this period, candidates can take the exam between 8am and 5pm daily.
Participants are also allowed to choose the date and time that best suits them within the examination window. Each candidate will be given two opportunities to write the test, while the system will automatically record the better score.
“InterswitchSPAK gives every student two trials to write the CBT and the system will pick the better of the two scores,” the organisers explained.
The registration process offers two entry routes for candidates. Parents or guardians can register students directly through the online platform, particularly for home-schooled students or those whose schools may not be participating.
Schools can also register their candidates collectively. Under the school registration option, institutions must register a minimum of six and a maximum of twenty SS2 science students to take part in the competition.
To help candidates familiarise themselves with the examination platform, each registered student will also be given a five-minute demo session before starting the test.
After the first round of examinations, only candidates who score at least 75 per cent will proceed to the next stage of the online qualifying round. From there, the best 81 students will advance to Stage Two of the competition, which will be conducted as a televised quiz show.
The competition also offers significant rewards for top-performing students. The overall winner will receive a five-year university scholarship with an annual stipend valued at ₦15 million, along with a brand-new laptop and the title of the best science student in Nigeria.
The second-place winner will receive a five-year university scholarship worth ₦10 million and a laptop, while the third-place winner will receive a five-year university scholarship valued at ₦5 million, also with a new laptop.
Registration for the 2026 edition is free and will close on Friday, May 22, 2026. Interested applicants can register through the official competition portal www.interswitchspak.com/country.
