Maryam Aminu
A Nigerian teenager, Daniel Adeluyi, has achieved a historic milestone by reaching the semi-finals of the 2025 Breakthrough Junior Challenge, a globally renowned science competition for young innovators. Daniel is the first Nigerian to reach this stage in the competition’s 11-year history, standing out among thousands of entries from around the world.
The 16-year-old impressed judges with a creative two-minute video explaining the concept of wormholes in a clear and engaging manner. He said the topic reflects his belief in pushing boundaries and exploring ideas that once seemed impossible, adding that his interest in physics, space, and storytelling made the challenge a perfect fit.
The competition offers prizes worth $400,000, including a $250,000 university scholarship for the winner, $50,000 for the teacher, and a $100,000 high-tech science laboratory for the school. Daniel is now seeking public support as audience engagement will play a key role in determining which semi-finalist advances to the final round.
Beyond academics, Daniel is known for his leadership and creativity. He previously served as Assistant Head Boy at Brickhall School, Abuja, where he earned the Chairman’s Award for Academic Excellence. He captains his estate’s U18 football team, plays basketball, and taught himself to play the keyboard, composing several original pieces.
He also founded BRAINS (Building Real-world Artificial Intelligence and Next-generation Skills), a youth initiative that exposes children to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Through the programme, he hopes to inspire confidence and curiosity in younger learners.
Daniel credits his communication abilities to years of watching educational documentaries and reading scientific classics, including Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time. Since 2021, he has volunteered in the media unit of his church, The Capital Assembly, gaining valuable experience in storytelling and content creation skills that helped shape his acclaimed competition video.
As voting begins, Daniel is urging Nigerians across the world to support him by liking his video on the Breakthrough Prize YouTube and Facebook pages, noting that the entry with the highest combined engagement is guaranteed a place in the finals.
Voting links:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/DysdmiVLAug?si=TuQJYGyN5xEvFdEM
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1MCbmBZscZ/
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