Nigerian teen becomes first-ever semi-finalist in $400,000 global science challenge

A Nigerian Student, Daniel Adeluyi, has made a historic leap on the global stage by advancing to the semi-finals of the 2025 Breakthrough Junior Challenge, one of the world’s most competitive science contests for teenagers.

Selected from thousands of submissions worldwide, Daniel is the first Nigerian in the competition’s 11-year history to reach this milestone, placing him among just 30 semi-finalists.

Daniel’s entry, a two-minute video explaining the science of wormholes, won the judges over with its clarity, creativity, and visual storytelling. Driven by a love for physics and space, he said wormholes represent “a path to reaching the seemingly unreachable,” capturing both his scientific curiosity and his flair for communication.

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Up for grabs in the competition is a $250,000 university scholarship for the winner, a $50,000 award for the winning teacher, and a $100,000 state-of-the-art science laboratory for the winner’s school, making Daniel’s achievement a potentially life-changing moment for himself, his mentors, and his community.

Beyond the challenge, Daniel is known for his academic excellence and community leadership. A former Assistant Head Boy at Brickhall School Abuja, he received the Chairman’s Award for Academic Excellence upon graduation. He also leads his estate’s U18 football team, enjoys basketball, and plays the keyboard—self-taught and already composing original music.

He is also the founder of BRAINS (Building Real-world Artificial Intelligence and Next-generation Skills), a youth-focused nonprofit giving children early exposure to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. His goal: to inspire younger students to embrace curiosity and confidence in future-focused careers.

Daniel’s communication skills are shaped by years of consuming high-quality educational content from National Geographic documentaries to Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time. He has also volunteered in the media unit of his church, The Capital Assembly, since 2021, gaining practical experience that contributed directly to the high-quality production of his science video.

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As he aims for the final round of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, public support will play a crucial role. Finalists are selected partly through online engagement, and the video with the highest combined likes on Facebook and YouTube automatically secures a spot.

Daniel is calling on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to back his journey. “I would be very grateful if people would watch my video and like it on both platforms if they enjoy it,” he said.

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