In 2009, Sephiat Oniyangi had to take the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). For months leading up to the exam, her school organised mock tests and provided an additional study hall for SS 3 students, all boarders. These measures minimised distractions and helped her sharpen her test-taking skills.

Sephiat was quite confident she would pass the exam. She was already one of the best in her class.

I was always on Honour Roll or Merit Roll, but I did not always come first in class. Nobody did; it was always a tight competition.

- Sephiat Oniyangi (No. 1)

In 2010, The Nation newspaper published a list, “The West Africa Examinations Council - Best 100 Candidates”*. The top students were ranked based on their total scores across all the subjects they sat for. Sephiat Oniyangi of Loyola Jesuit College was at the top of the list.

Since then, Sephiat has gone to university, seen the world, and built a career in business consulting. But it got us wondering: who are the other 99 people on this list? Where did they come from? Where did they go? And most importantly, where are they now?

Let us start from 2009

Between May and June 2009, 1.37 million candidates in Nigeria sat for WASSCE, with only 25.99% obtaining a credit pass in Mathematics and English. Despite this relatively poor performance, 100 students excelled by regional standards.

These top-performing students came from diverse backgrounds but most of them had one thing in common: strict schedules. Fifty-eight of them attended boarding schools, where their activities were regimented and supervised. Additionally, some of them also discovered early on that they were good at studying and chose to dedicate themselves to their studies.

When I started secondary school, I did not know how to play sports… I liked to read, so books were my thing. It was what I could excel at and I knew well. I was like, the thing that is going to take me somewhere is education.

- Tunji Olojede-James (No. 98)

Some schools produced more top students than others

Sephiat was one of seven students from Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja, but it was not the school with the highest number of high-performing students. Of the 54 secondary schools in the top 100, Chyvik Model Secondary School in Obehie, Abia State had the most appearances with eight students.

More than half of the schools in the top 100 are in the South West.

Lagos State came correct with its motto

At the state level, Lagos state had the highest representation with 13 schools and 23 students, followed by Ogun and Abia states.

Who runs the list? Girls!

Studies have shown that girls typically achieve higher academic results than boys. Research suggests this is often due to a combination of strong organisational skills, better time management, and higher levels of motivation. In this case, 61% of the top 100 students were female, with girls claiming seven of the top 10 spots, including Sephiat, who was ranked No. 1.

Me and my best friend, Tolu, used to compete a lot, so that helped.

- Chioma Ukeje (No. 23)

Tolu is number 14 on the list.

Private schools dominated the list

On average, private school students outperform their government school counterparts in test scores and graduation rates. This disparity is largely influenced by factors like class sizes, student-teacher ratios, and the socio-economic backgrounds of the students, with more affluent families able to afford higher-quality educational support.

Teacher competency also plays a significant role, with private school teachers being more competent and more likely to attend their classes regularly.

I had some very good teachers but my Physics teacher was changed in SS 3. He was a senior teacher, so he only came like three times a term. Our practicals were also next to nothing compared to folks we met at competitions.

- Temitayo Olaotan (No. 85)

After WAEC, what next?

We began our search on Google and then explored LinkedIn and Facebook to find more information. Whenever we found someone, we used their networks to find more people from their school.

In total, we found 78 of the 100 people on the list online. Here is what they’ve been doing for the past 15 years.

The University of Lagos was the top choice for Nigeria’s brightest after WAEC

Twenty-six of the top 100 students pursued their first degrees outside Nigeria. Among those who remained in the country, the University of Lagos was the top choice, followed by the University of Ibadan and Covenant University, indicating a strong preference for institutions known for their academic excellence.

STEM was the most sought-after discipline.

In Nigeria, there is a common belief, especially among parents, that intelligent children should attend science classes. Traditional careers in STEM, such as medicine and engineering, are high-paying and considered prestigious in society. As a result, it is quite common for parents to try to force their children into these fields.

My mum actually dragged me to the principal’s office and I refused… Me and Tolu revolted. We did not want to be in science class.

- Chioma Ukeje (No. 23)

Fifty-nine of the 100 students studied STEM courses, of which 26 were boys and 33 were girls. However, a closer look shows that these 26 boys represented 67% of the boys on the list, while the 33 girls accounted for 54% of the girls. Among students who pursued STEM fields, 23 students chose engineering for their first degree and 18 chose medicine.

Some of them went on to get higher degrees.

Out of the top 100 students, 30 have obtained master's degrees, including five who earned MBAs. Seven others have gone on to complete doctorate degrees, showcasing a dedication to furthering their education and a commitment to academic excellence.

And after university?

After completing their university education, most of these high-performing students transitioned to careers in sectors such as healthcare, tech, energy, and finance.

Drawing from LinkedIn data alone, 4% of the people in the top 100 students have spent some time at KPMG, 3% at Stears, and 2% at GTBank. These statistics highlight a trend among the high-achievers gravitating towards roles in leading companies across various sectors.

What do half of Nigeria’s brightest young do?

They leave.

My role model was Ngozi Iweala. I looked at all the great women in Nigeria. A lot of them came to do some sort of advanced degree in the US. So I always had it in mind… I was saving half of my salary every month. People looked at me like I was crazy but I knew what I wanted to do, and I knew I wanted to leave. I wanted to come back eventually but I do not know about that anymore.

- Chioma Ukeje (No 23)

Some left immediately after secondary school. Others left after their first degrees, after gaining some work experience. Today, 47% of the top 100 (that we know of) have moved abroad. They mostly live in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. This trend contributes to the growing evidence of the ongoing brain drain, as many of Nigeria's brightest talents seek opportunities outside the country.

The People We Could not Find

We were unable to find any information on 22 of the top 100, most of whom schooled in the South East (11) and the South West (9). The North East and North West each produced only one candidate and we could not find either of them. Of these 22 individuals, twelve are female. Here are our theories:

1. They chose careers or lifestyles that do not require a significant online presence.
2. They underwent a name change. For example, one of the people we found had a different first name and changed her last name after getting married.
3. They may have passed away.

This started as a good old where-are-they-now?

But it led us down a rabbit hole and gave us a glimpse into what happens to Nigeria’s brightest—their paths and the choices they made to unlock their full potential.

Their stories show us what can happen when talent and hard work meet the right opportunities.

We started by asking: what happens to Nigeria's brightest students? But this question has evolved into a more crucial question: how can Nigeria harness the full potential of its brightest to drive national progress? The answer to this question could very well shape the future of Nigeria.

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