Nigeria Celebrates as Maryam, Muhammad Emerge Among Winners at King Abdulaziz Qur’an Competition

Nigeria has recorded another feat on the international stage as two young Nigerians, Maryam and Muhammad, emerged among the 50 winners of the 46th King Abdulaziz International Qur’an Competition in Saudi Arabia.

The achievement was announced by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in a statement issued on Friday, August 21, 2026, and signed by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

The prestigious competition attracted 334 contestants from 133 countries, bringing together some of the world’s finest Qur’an memorizers and reciters.

Maryam and Muhammad’s emergence among the 50 winners represents a significant achievement for Nigeria, considering the highly competitive international field.

For more than four decades, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has hosted the King Abdulaziz International Qur’an Competition as part of efforts to promote Qur’an memorisation, recitation and scholarship, providing young Muslims from different parts of the world an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and dedication.

This year’s edition also featured a substantial prize purse, with more than SAR10.26 million, estimated at about N4.1 billion, awarded to successful contestants.

Reacting to the achievement, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, congratulated Maryam and Muhammad, describing their success as a proud moment for Nigeria.

Dabiri-Erewa said the achievement highlighted the talent, discipline and potential of Nigerian youths, while also demonstrating what could be achieved when dedication and opportunity are combined.

According to her, the feat goes beyond winning a competition, as the two young Nigerians represented the country with distinction and projected a positive image of Nigeria on an important international platform.

She noted that their success should serve as an inspiration to other young Nigerians, particularly those pursuing excellence in their chosen fields.

The NiDCOM boss also commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its continued commitment to promoting Qur’anic knowledge and creating an international platform that brings together participants from diverse countries and backgrounds.

She described the achievement as another example of Nigerians making the country proud on the global stage.

NiDCOM celebrated Maryam and Muhammad for their outstanding performance and wished them continued success in their Qur’anic studies and future endeavours.

“Congratulations, Maryam and Muhammad. Nigeria is proud of you,” Dabiri-Erewa said.