Education
Marvelvine Montessori, Others Win Ecobank’s National Schools Team Chess Championship
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over the weekend, DaySpring School, the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and Marvelvine Montessori School, all in Lagos, emerged winners of the 2024 Ecobank National Schools’ Teams Chess Competition.
The event, which took place at the Pan African Centre in Lagos,
The chess competition, which has been described as the largest gathering of chess players in Africa, attracted over 1200 players from over 250 schools across 18 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Vice President of the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), Mr Adeyinka Adewole, expressed excitement that the championship introduced last year when the International Chess Federation (ICF) started the World Schools Team Chess Championship has grown in leap and bounds.
He noted that the 2024 edition attracted over 1200 participants, describing NCF’s partnership with Ecobank as a shining example of the public-private partnership needed to advance sports in Nigeria.
“About 118 primary schools, 86 secondary schools, and 42 tertiary institutions participated and jostled for prizes of over N15 million at the three-day tournament between Friday 24th and Sunday 26th at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) in Victoria Lagos.
“At the end of the highly competitive tournament, the University of Lagos came tops in the tertiary school category and was followed by the University of Benin and Chess in Slums Africa (CISA) while DaySpring School, Platforms School, Ireti Senior Grammar School came first, second and third respectively in the secondary school category.
“For the Primary school category, Marvelvine Montessori School came first while Scholars Academy, Ibadan was second best and followed by Okikioluwa Junior in the third position,” he stated.
Further, he said, “When we introduced this Championship last year, only 15 schools participated but today we have over 250 schools. This is a remarkable accomplishment for us in the Nigeria Chess Federation, and we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without the unwavering support of Ecobank.
“We’re deeply grateful for Ecobank’s generous support and unwavering commitment to empowering young minds and fostering intellectual growth. Your sponsorship has made this event possible, and your dedication to developing chess among Nigerian youth is truly commendable.”
He reiterated the federation’s delight in providing a platform for young participants to hone their skills and become world champions, stating that the championship is a celebration of strategic thinking, the relentless pursuit of excellence, and the future of Nigerian chess.
Managing Director/Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, Bolaji Lawal, said the decision of the bank to sponsor the Chess competition was to further showcase Ecobank’s commitment to supporting intellectual and sports development in Nigeria, being part of Ecobank’s strategic human capital development drive.
“The winners here today are ‘rising stars. And I must say this is in line with our objective of supporting children and youths as the next generation of changemakers.
“This sponsorship aligns with our overall long-term vision of building a world-class Pan-African bank that contributes to the economic and financial integration of the continent.
“We are also using the opportunity of this competition to introduce and empower them with convenient, affordable, and accessible digital financial services they can access anytime and anywhere they are. Arrangements are in place to make our partnership an annual event, as it is exciting and fulfilling for both the children and undergraduate students,” he stated.
In his comment, the Minister of Sports, Mr John Owan Enoh, represented by the Director, Federal Ministry of Sports Liaison Office in Lagos, Ms Ikana Mbora, said the ministry is proud of the NCF. He commended the students for their resilience and determination to win as “this represents the Nigerian can-do spirit”.
It would be recalled that Platform Schools, Ikeja, Lagos emerged as the national champion at the first National Schools Team Chess Championship held last year earning the honour of representing Nigeria at the World Schools Team Chess Championship in Kazakhstan.
The Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF) is the national governing body for chess in Nigeria. It was established in 1975 and is responsible for promoting, regulating and developing chess in Nigeria.
The NCF is a federation under the Federal Ministry of Sport Development, and it is affiliated with the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and follows its rules and regulations.
The objectives of the NCF include organizing national and international chess tournaments, training and selecting chess players to represent Nigeria in international competitions, and promoting the game of chess at all levels, from grassroots to elite.
The NCF organizes various chess events throughout the year and has also been successful in producing strong chess players who have represented Nigeria in international tournaments. These players have achieved notable successes, including winning medals in the African Chess Championships and participating in Chess Olympiads.
Education
UniJos Suspends Exams Over Deadly Jos Attack
By Adedapo Adesanya
The University of Jos has suspended all examinations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday following growing tension in Jos, after a deadly attack in Anguwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The management of the institution also advised students and staff to remain indoors and stay vigilant.
According to reports, the attackers, who rode on motorcycles, stormed the community at about 7:30 pm while residents were going about their normal activities, firing indiscriminately and causing panic.
Many people were killed, while several others sustained injuries in the attack.
“The attackers just rode past and started shooting sporadically. People were running in different directions,” a source told Channels Television.
The broadcaster also reported that in the aftermath of the attack, angry youths reportedly blocked major roads within the community, raising fears of escalating tension.
UniJos, in a statement issued on Sunday by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Mr Emmanuel Madugu, said the incident had heightened tension, necessitating the decision.
“In view of the late evening fatal attacks by unknown gunmen on residents of Angwan Rukuba (an area that hosts many staff and students of the University), and the consequential tensions it has generated in and around the area and environs.
“The Vice Chancellor has directed that all examinations scheduled to hold on Monday, March 30, and Tuesday, March 31, 2026, are postponed, and will be rescheduled accordingly. That members of the University community be advised to be very vigilant and extra careful with their movements (On and off Campus) with IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
“For emphasis, members are strongly advised to AVOID COMING OUT VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING, and should REPORT IMMEDIATELY any sign or shadow of breach of the public peace to the University Security Division on 08035895323.
“University Management is actively liaising with the relevant Security agencies and monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the lives of members of the University community. Further relevant updates will be communicated in due course,” the deputy registrar added.
Education
8 Best Editing and Proofreading Services in 2026 for Academic Researchers
The top editing services for academic researchers in 2026 include Editage, Wiley Editing Services, Taylor & Francis Editing Services, Sage Author Services, and Scribbr. In this article, we’ll look at the key features of each of these, and some others, to help you choose the best proofreading service for your own research paper. We’ll also share the 4 key aspects you must consider when choosing a proofreading service.
Top 8 Editing & Proofreading Services for Academic Researchers
1. Editage
With over 23 years of experience in academic publishing, Editage has edited over 2 million research papers and is trusted by 40+ publishers, 500+ universities, and 1000+ research societies. Editage employs over 3,000 subject matter experts as editors. It offers comprehensive publication support, including services such as journal selection, statistical review, and figure preparation. Most service packages include free journal formatting. Editage also provides a specialized service designed to help prevent the desk rejection of your paper.
2. Wiley Editing Services
Wiley Editing Services has edited over 25,000 manuscripts in the past 3 years, with an acceptance rate of 62% (the acceptance rate of Wiley journals in general is around 28%). Wiley Editing Services offers authors slab-based pricing with clear turnaround times. Another feature of their editing service is free word count reduction by 10-20% depending on service package. It has a specialized academic translation team and offers authors design support in creating graphical abstracts and infographics.
3. Taylor & Francis Editing Services
Designed to support Taylor & Francis authors, Taylor & Francis Editing Services has a no-questions-asked quality guarantee and commits to re-working your manuscript until you are satisfied. Clients can choose from three levels of English language editing, and the company also offers you a free language scorer tool to help you choose the right level of editing for your manuscript. After your paper is accepted for publication, you can also avail of services to help you create lay summaries, video abstracts, etc. to promote it. Taylor & Francis also offers a range of live webinars for researchers to acquire new skills.
4. Sage Author Services
Realizing that 76% of authors find writing a paper for publication most difficult of all the research stages, Sage Author Services offers clients a range of editing services with easy tools to compare them and select the one suited for your paper. There is also a combination translation + editing service geared towards ESL authors, and a plagiarism check support service. You can get unlimited Q&A with your editor after your paper is edited. Their website also has an easy-to-use calculator for you to choose pricing and delivery speed.
5. Cambridge University Press Author Services
Cambridge University Press, a part of Cambridge University, has a long-standing commitment to advancing research and human knowledge. Their author services offers 24/7 support and a certificate guaranteeing the quality of English in the edited manuscript. Besides offering three levels of editing service, Cambridge University Press also has translation support available for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. There is a separate manuscript formatting service and a specialized “video shorts” service to make your published paper easy to share on social media.
6. Scribbr
Scribbr, a trusted brand in edtech, has a network of over 700 editors and writing coaches for students. All editors have passed through an in-house training program called Scribbr Academy. Scribbr offers clients access to free AI-powered tools and an extensive Knowledge Base for university students (especially undergraduates). Scribber also has a rapid turnaround time of just 5 minutes for AI-powered proofreading. The company offers specialized proofreading services for capstone projects and essays.
7. Scribendi
Established in 1997, Scribendi has processed over 800,000 manuscripts and has a team of over 400 native English-speaking freelance editors. The company is highly rated on Google Reviews and offers specialized services for ESL students, including dissertation proofreading with a 10% student discount. Another specialty of Scribbr is field-aware editing for humanities and social sciences researchers.
8. PaperTrue
PaperTrue works with students, authors, and businesses around the world to create error-free documents. New customers get a free 300-word sample. The company follows a rigorous 3-step checking process for every assignment. PaperTrue is rated 4.6 on Reviews.io and offers specialized editing services for college assignments, admissions essays, and personal statements. The company also has a large bouquet of solutions for book authors: typesetting, cover page design, etc.
How to Choose a Proofreading Service for Your Research Paper
Here are 4 things that you need to consider when you are choosing a proofreading service:
Quality:
Everyone will claim to be the best. How can you tell which proofreading services are really good? Look for services that have many subject matter experts, those backed by scholarly publishers, and those that transparently disclose whether their services are powered by AI or not.
Turnaround time:
A rapid-fire editing service isn’t always better. You need to budget time even after your paper is edited to check the editor’s changes and respond to any queries. Look for a service provider with a reasonable turnaround time, and one that is flexible with turnaround time if you have budget constraints.
Price:
Instead of thinking that cheap equals good, look for proofreading services that have transparent pricing that is easy to follow. Check what is included in your service package, especially re-editing support and manuscript formatting.
Additional support:
Look for a provider who can assist you at every stage of your publication journey and even with post-publication promotion. Such providers will care more deeply about your article and your publication success. Also, such providers will likely have editors who are experienced in academic research and who understand the challenges authors face during the publication process.
Education
Again, NELFUND Extends Deadline for 2025/26 Session Loan Applications
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has granted another extension for its Student Loan Application Portal to accommodate institutions that requested additional time for the 2025/2026 academic session.
According to the statement signed by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Ms Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, on Thursday, the extension applies only to institutions that submitted formal requests, allowing eligible students extra time to complete their applications.
“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has approved an extension of its Student Loan Application Portal for institutions that have formally requested additional time for the 2025/2026 academic session,” the statement read.
Business Post reports that at the beginning of March, NELFUND announced an extension to the deadline by a week for its student loan application portal following a notable rise in nationwide interest driven by ongoing awareness campaigns.
Speaking on the development, NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, reiterated the Fund’s commitment to ensuring that eligible students at participating institutions can access the student loan programme.
“NELFUND remains committed to ensuring that eligible students across participating institutions have the opportunity to access the student loan programme,” he said.
The Fund urges students in affected institutions to take advantage of the extension and submit their applications through the official portal.
It also emphasised its dedication to transparency, accountability, and providing sustainable financing solutions to remove financial barriers to higher education in Nigeria.
Established to administer the Nigeria Student Loan Scheme, NELFUND was enacted into law by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024.
The initiative provides interest-free loans to students in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition and living expenses.
Beneficiaries are required to repay the loans after completing their education and securing employment, aiming to increase access to higher education for students from low-income backgrounds.
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