By Oreoluwa Alayande, a 14‑year‑old student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College in Ado‑Ekiti, stepped into her role as MTN Nigeria’s ‘One Day CEO’, an honour bestowed to commemorate her victory in the 2025 MTN mPulse Spelling Bee. Her rise from classroom standout to sitting in the CEO’s seat caps an inspiring journey where she emerged as the overall champion from more than 40,000 students who participated nationwide.
This competition set a new standard for national reach, featuring an expanded format with on-ground regional qualifiers in Oyo, Enugu, and Abuja. This ensured that the Grand Finale truly reflected the diverse academic talent across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
In line with MTN’s commitment to leaving a sustainable footprint, Oreoluwa’s victory led to a significant Flagship Reward to St. Lawrence Metropolitan College. On Friday, March 6, the institution was awarded a ₦10 million ICT upgrade, including 10 laptops and 10 MTN 5G routers. This investment is designed to position the school as a center of digital excellence for others to emulate.
“Welcoming Oreoluwa into the boardroom today is a proud moment for us,” said Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria. “Her success, coupled with the legacy project at her school, proves that when we provide the right tools to any region of the country, the results are extraordinary.”
Speaking on her experience, the One-Day CEO, Alayande noted: “I am incredibly proud of the flagship reward my school is receiving. It is a wonderful feeling to know my victory leaves a lasting footprint at St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti. By providing these laptops, 5G routers and the ICT grant, MTN is putting my school in the limelight, which I hope inspires other institutions to embrace digital excellence. Furthermore, as we celebrate International Women’s Day this month, I am moved by how MTN promotes inclusion. Being the third female ‘One Day CEO’ out of Seven champions is a clear sign of how inclusive this competition is.”
Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka emphasised the brand’s vision during the conference. “This initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to empowering young Nigerians through education and technology. In 2025, we took the competition a notch higher by introducing regional qualifiers across all six geopolitical zones to ensure every part of the country was represented at the Grand Finale.”
The ceremony also served as a cornerstone for MTN’s International Women’s Month activities. By celebrating a young female leader in the technology sector, MTN continues to champion gender equality, proving that the future of leadership in Nigeria is inclusive and digital-first.
Beyond the honorary CEO title, Oreoluwa received a ₦5 million educational grant, a new laptop, and a smartphone, as she officially became the face of mPulse for the year.
