Two Nigerians Make Africa Education Award List
Two Nigerians – Folawe Omikunle, Chief Executive Officer of Teach For Nigeria, and Jide Martin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Comic Republic – have been named among the Top 10 finalists for the newly introduced Africa Education Medal.
The Africa Education Medal was launched in 2026 by T4 Education in collaboration with HP and Intel.
Omikunle and Martin were selected alongside eight other outstanding individuals across the African continent, including former President of Tanzania and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Global Partnership for Education, Jakaya Kikwete.
The Africa Education Medal was established to recognise individuals whose work is transforming education across Africa.
According to the organisers, Folawe Omikunle is regarded as one of the most prominent and influential educators in Nigeria. Her organisation focuses on addressing educational inequality by recruiting university graduates and working professionals from diverse backgrounds to serve as full-time teacher leaders in some of Nigeria’s most under-served schools.
Jide Martin, on the other hand, was described as an illustrator, designer, producer and entrepreneur who uses the power of storytelling through comics to shape Africa’s narrative. Comic Republic is recognised as Africa’s largest independent comic book publisher and the continent’s first digital comic book company.
Reacting to the announcement, the Managing Director of HP Africa, Brad Pulford, congratulated the two Nigerians for their outstanding achievement.
He said the recognition of Omikunle and Martin would inspire more education leaders across the continent and reaffirmed HP’s commitment to improving learning outcomes for millions of learners through strong partnerships and innovative education leadership.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who are the two Nigerians shortlisted for the Africa Education Medal?
The two Nigerians are Folawe Omikunle, CEO of Teach For Nigeria, and Jide Martin, Founder and CEO of Comic Republic.
Why was Folawe Omikunle selected as a finalist?
She was recognised for her leadership in tackling educational inequality in Nigeria by recruiting and training graduates and professionals to serve as full-time teachers in underserved public schools.
Why was Jide Martin nominated for the Africa Education Medal?
Jide Martin was nominated for using comics, digital media and storytelling to promote African identity, creativity and education through Comic Republic, helping young Africans connect with learning and culture.
Who organised the Africa Education Medal?
The Africa Education Medal was launched by T4 Education in partnership with HP and Intel to celebrate individuals who are transforming education across Africa.
Which other notable African leader is among the finalists?
Former President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, who also serves as Chair of the Board of the Global Partnership for Education, is one of the top 10 finalists.
