NSMQ 2026: GOD IS An ADO9AI! PRESEC CROWNED NSMQ CHAMPIONS FOR A RECORD NINTH TIME!
UG Premier Domes – September 10, 2026
Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School, returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion, clinching a historic ninth National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) title at the Grand Finale of the 2026 edition, held at the UG Premier Dome in Accra on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
In a pulsating all-boys’ school showdown, the 2026 NSMQ Grand Finale featured eight-time champions, Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC-Legon), two-time champions, St. Augustine’s College, and Grand Finale debutants, Accra Academy.
Veteran Quiz Mistress, Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann, brought her finesse to the stage, engaging the contestants with cheerfulness and encouragement to calm their nerves and inspire confidence ahead of the climax of the 2026 NSMQ. An electric atmosphere of fervent prayers, heated “jama” chants and passionate renditions of school anthems ushered in the much-anticipated Grand Finale of the 2026 NSMQ.
The contest began on a knife-edge, with St. Augustine’s College and Accra Academy tied on 11 points each, while PRESEC followed closely with nine points after Round One.
The momentum shifted in Round Two, the Trustur AI Speed Race, as PRESEC found their rhythm, racing to 17 points to draw level with St. Augustine’s College, who also moved to 17 points. Accra Academy increased their tally to 14 points.
PRESEC maintained their momentum in Round Three, the Prudential Life NSMQ Star (Problem of the Day), becoming the only school among the three finalists to score, securing four points out of a possible 10. Both St. Augustine’s College and Accra Academy failed to score in the round. At the end of Round Three, PRESEC extended their lead to 21 points, while St. Augustine’s College and Accra Academy remained on 17 and 14 points respectively.
In Round Four, the Jupay Clean Sheet, PRESEC strengthened their position with a near-perfect performance, missing just one question to surge to 34 points and open a significant gap. Accra Academy also impressed in the round, climbing to 30 points to move into second place, while St. Augustine’s College, who had reached the Grand Finale for the third consecutive year, placed third with 27 points. Accra Academy also secured the Jupay Clean Sheet Award, earning GH₵2,000 for answering all the True/False questions correctly.
Heading into the final round, the contest remained open. PRESEC, however, held their nerve in the GOIL Super Bonanza, answering two questions correctly to increase their tally to 40 points and secure the championship. Accra Academy finished second on 33 points after answering one riddle correctly, while St. Augustine’s College placed third with 27 points.
For PRESEC, this victory cements their status as the undisputed kings of the NSMQ with nine titles - 1995, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2022, 2023 and now 2026, having suffered two-years of Quarter-final heartbreak.
At the end of the contest, PRESEC, the new NSMQ title holders earned GH₵10,000 in cash prize for winning the Pepsodent Highest Scorer award, in addition to a GH₵2,000 GOIL Super Bonanza award. As champions of the 2026 NSMQ, PRESEC got a total prize of GH₵80,000, comprising GH₵40,000 for the school, GH₵20,000 for the team of contestants and another GH₵20,000 for the team of teachers, all from the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The Prof Marian Ewurama Addy Award for the Best Team of the2026 NSMQ, instituted by Mr Bubune Adih, 1999 NSMQ champion, also went to PRESEC, who received GH₵10,000 for this award. For placing second in the Grand-finale, Accra Academy received a total cash prize of GH₵64,000, of which GH₵30,000 went to the school, GH₵17,000 to the team of contestants while GH₵17,000 also went to the team of teachers also from GES.
St. Augustine’s College received a total cash prize of GH₵50,000 from GES - GH₵20,000 to the school, GH₵15,000 to the team of contestants and additional GH₵15,000 to the team of teachers.
Mercy Adjeley Okang of Bright SHS won a US$40,000 full scholarship award to pursue an undergraduate programme at Academic City University, covering tuition, accommodation, meals, monthly stipend, laptop and books.
Mercy also proudly took home the prestigious Prof. Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu Award for Most Outstanding Female Contestant, accompanied by a Primetime cash prize of GH₵5,000 for her brilliance throughout the championship.
For being the top Runners-up school in the Preliminary Stage of the 2026 NSMQ that went the farthest in the National Championship, Bright SHS were award a cash prize of GH₵3,000 being the Science Digest Show Award.
Two schools, Saviour SHS and Presby SHS, Bombata, won the Dr Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu Award for the Most Impressive Run, a Primetime award to less-endowed schools that goes the farthest in the competition or causes the biggest upset.
The two Category B schools who started their journeys from the Regional Qualifiers became seeded schools, beating Category A schools in the process, were rewarded a cash prize of GH₵7,000 each.
The Kwame Chito Excellence Award saw 15 laptops distributed to all participating finalists of the 2026 NSMQ, aimed at supporting university-ready students to foster academic excellence.
Mfantsiman Girls’ SHS who ended their 2026 NSMQ campaign at the Quarter-final Stage, reaching such feat for the first time in 10 years and securing a seeded status, emerged the Best Girls’ school in the competition, also receiving laptops under the Kwame Chito Excellence Award.
All three contestants of the three-competing schools at the grand-finale got the Coronation Insurance Award, an insurance cover worth GH₵15,000 each, and covering a six-month period for the first and second runners-up, Accra Academy and St. Augustine’s College, respectively, and a one-year cover for the winner, PRESEC.
The Round-by-Round Scores for this contest stood as follows:
Round One General Questions (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology)
St. Augustine’s College 11
Accra Academy 11
PRESEC, Legon 9
Round Two (Trustur AI Speed Race)
PRESEC, Legon 17
St. Augustine’s College 17
Accra Academy 14
Round Three Prudential Life Insurance NSMQ Star (Problem of the Day)
PRESEC, Legon 21
St. Augustine’s College 17
Accra Academy 14
Round Four (Jupay Money Transfer True/False)
PRESEC, Legon 34
Accra Academy 30
St. Augustine’s College 27
Round Five (GOIL Super Bonanza)
PRESEC, Legon 40
Accra Academy 33
St. Augustine’s College 27
The 2026 edition of the National Science & Maths Quiz is produced by Primetime Limited and proudly sponsored by the Ghana Education Service (GES), with support from GOIL PLC, Joy News, Prudential Life Insurance Ghana, Pepsodent, Cowbell, Trustur AI, Jupay Money Transfer, Lumevax, GTP, SpinCiti Laundromat, Didi Jollof, Bel Beverages, Accra College of Medicine, Coronation Insurance Ghana, Academic City University, Baldwin University College and YFM.
