NSMQ 2026: Nandom SHS Pulls Off One-Point Shock Against Ghana SHS, Koforidua to Advance to One-eighth Stage!

CNC Auditorium - August 20, 2025

Nandom Senior High School (SHS), from the Upper West Region, took Ghana SHS, Koforidua by surprise with a just one point at the end of their Preliminary Stage encounter of the National Championship of the 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ).

Moderating the contest at the CNC Auditorium was Mrs. Rachel Annoh, who calmed the nerves of the contestants before allowing them to introduce themselves to commence the quiz. Ghana SHS, dominated their competition from round one through to round three, with a gap of eight points, but Nandom reduced it to five points by the end of the fourth round in a challenging contest.

Nandom SHS secured a dramatic victory at the end of the contest, edging their fiercest contenders, Ghana SHS, Koforidua, by just one point to finish on 41 points. Ghana SHS, Koforidua, ended on 40 points, while Tuobodom SHTS finished with 14 points.

The victory marks Nandom SHS’s return to the One-eighth Stage for the first time since 2022. Since then, the school had struggled to progress beyond the Preliminary Stage, making this year’s qualification a significant comeback.

At the end of the first round, the General Questions in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology saw Ghana SHS establish an early lead with 27 points. Nandom SHS followed with 15 points, while Tuobodom SHS had 11 points.

Ghana SHS maintained its lead in Round Two, the Trustur AI Speed Race, moving to 28 points. Nandom SHS, however, increased its tally from 15 to 20 points, while Tuobodom SHS slipped to nine points.

The Prudential Life NSMQ Star Problem of the Day in Round Three saw Ghana SHS, Koforidua continue to lead, although Nandom SHS began to close the gap. Ghana SHS added two points to reach 30, while Nandom SHS moved to 22 points and Tuobodom SHS increased its tally to 13 points.

In Round Four, the Jupay Money Transfer True/False segment, the contest became more intense as the schools also battled for the Jupay Money Transfer Clean Sheet. Although none of the schools answered all the questions correctly to claim the award, Nandom SHS used the round to make a significant push, cutting Ghana SHS’s lead to five points. Nandom SHS ended the round on 32 points, just behind Ghana SHS on 37, while Tuobodom SHS had 14 points.

In the fifth and final round, the GOIL Riddle Bonanza, supporters of Ghana SHS could only hope their team would recover its lost lead, but the contest took a dramatic turn in favour of Nandom SHS.

Nandom SHS answered three riddles correctly, not only securing the GOIL Riddle Bonanza award, but also completing a remarkable comeback to overtake Ghana SHS and secure the win.

For Nandom contestants, Thank-God Chibueze Nneji and Muhaat Adelwin Issaka, the victory brought tears of joy as they celebrated their hard-fought qualification to the One-eighth Stage. The duo attributed their success to tactical discipline, hard work, perseverance and, in their words, a touch of divine intervention.

Speaking with the NSMQ Communications team after the competition, Muhaat said,

“Going to the fourth round, the final stage, I was tense, but I kept my composure because God knows best. We were just waiting for a miracle to happen, and it has just happened. “One round doesn’t end a contest. We didn’t give up. We knew there had to be a miracle because all our practice and our prayers can’t be in vain just like that. We really worked hard for this, all the way from the northern part down here.”

With their place in the next stage secured, the school is already setting its sights on the ultimate prize, the Grand Finale. Mr Bamie Ebenezer Berinbie, a teacher of Nandom SHS, said, “The ultimate is the trophy, but for now, we are working for the immediate victory.”

The Round-by-Round Scores for this contest stood as follows:

Round One General Questions (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology)

Ghana SHS, Koforidua                            27 points

Nandom SHS                                             15 points

Tuobodom SHS                                         11 points

Round Two (Trustur AI Speed Race)

Ghana SHS, Koforidua                            28 points

Nandom SHS                                             20 points

Tuobodom SHS                                         9 points

Round Three Prudential Life Insurance NSMQ Star (Problem of the Day)    

Ghana SHS, Koforidua                            30 points

Nandom SHS                                             22 points

Tuobodom SHS                                         13 points

Round Four (Jupay Money Transfer True/False) 

Ghana SHS, Koforidua                            37 points

Nandom SHS                                             32 points

Tuobodom SHS                                         14 points

Round Five (GOIL Super Bonanza)

Nandom SHS                                             41 points

Ghana SHS, Koforidua                            40 points

Tuobodom SHS                                         14 points

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, Trustur AI, Jupay Money Transfer, Lumevax, GTP, SpinCiti Landromat, Didi Jollof, Bel Beverages, Accra College of Medicine and Coronation Insurance.