Competition Rules

The NSB

The Nigeria Spelling Bee is open to all students in both public and private schools in Nigeria. All spellers will be asked to spell individually irrespective of the number of spellers from the same school.

Please study these rules and act accordingly for training and practice purposes.

Eligibility Requirements

These conditions should be met in addition to the other requirements as stated on this page regarding individual categories.

Participants must be currently enrolled in a Primary or Secondary School in Nigeria.
Spellers can register through their school or privately but must provide accurate school details.
Spellers must not be in SS3 or taking UTME, WAEC, or Senior NECO exams during the academic year of the Competition Title Year.
The Nigeria Spelling Bee organizers reserve the right to disqualify any participant before, during, or after the competition if they fail to meet eligibility requirements, break competition rules, or provide false information.

We Have Two

SPELLER CATEGORIES

The Nigeria Spelling Bee has two categories: Senior and Junior.

These are based on age, not whether the student is in Primary or Secondary school.

Senior Category:

Age Limit: Participants must be 16 years or younger as of December in the Competition Title Year (please check your age carefully).
Education Limit: Senior spellers must not be in SS3 or taking UTME, WAEC, or Senior NECO exams in the academic year of the Competition Title Year.
Recommended Minimum Age: 13 years, but younger, exceptional spellers are also allowed.
Opportunity: National Finalists stand a chance to represent Nigeria at the African Spelling Bee. If a Nigerian speller becomes the African Champion, they will win an additional ₦1,000,000 scholarship for the Senior category.

Junior Category:

Age Limit: Participants must be 13 years or younger as of December in the Competition Title Year (please check your age carefully).
Recommended Minimum Age: 9 years, but younger, exceptional spellers are also allowed.
Opportunity: National Finalists stand a chance to represent Nigeria at the African Spelling Bee. If a Nigerian speller becomes the African Champion, they will win an additional ₦500,000 scholarship for the Junior category.

Rules About

Registration

Registration is done online through our e-portal after a payment of N3,000 (Three Thousand Naira) per speller.
Schools registering more than 10 spellers are eligible for a discount. For every 10 spellers, one registration is free. Check the FAQ for more details.
All payments should be made directly to the official bank accounts listed on our website. No payments should be made to individuals claiming to represent Nigeria Spelling Bee.
Each speller will receive a unique SPELLER ID on the confirmation page after successfully submitting the registration form.
Spellers should keep their proof of payment and bring it to the competition venue.
Once registered, spellers will receive updates on competition dates, times, and venues in their state via phone and email. Spellers and coaches are responsible for checking their emails and the website regularly for updates. Please ensure that the “Do-Not-Disturb” feature is disabled to receive SMS notifications.

Information About

Stages of the Competition

Spellers will begin their journey at the State Qualifiers, competing in the state where their school is located. In cases where a state has fewer than 100 registrations, two or more states may be merged.
At each State Level Competition, the top speller in both the Junior and Senior categories will move on to represent their state at the National Finals.
States with over 500 participants will also send the 1st runner-up to the National Finals.
The top speller in each category will receive a trophy and medal, while the runners-up will be awarded medals.

Note: From the 2022 season onward, there will no longer be Regional Level competitions to reduce the risks associated with interstate travel for spellers.

Details About

Contest Rounds

The qualifiers consist of two distinct rounds:

Round 1: Written Spelling Bee

In the first round, spellers will participate in a written Spelling Bee, where they will write down the correct spelling of words on provided cards.

Basic rules for the written round:

Do not cancel, change, bolden, or rewrite any letters.
Any attempt to correct an error or alter a letter will be considered invalid. Coaches should ensure spellers understand this rule.

Round 2 and Beyond: Oral Elimination Rounds

Subsequent rounds will be oral elimination rounds using only English words.

Spellers are encouraged to download and study the season’s Study Guide after successful registration. This guide is a reference, not a word list.
Finalists advancing to the National Finals will receive additional study materials.
Spellers should also prepare broadly beyond the Study Guide.

Indigenous Language Rounds

At the National Finals, spellers will be asked to spell words in Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba, selected randomly. No speller will receive any special advantage, and indigenous words won’t be used for elimination in the State Qualifiers.

Rules About The

Oral Spelling Bee

Spellers must be clear and loud when spelling their words.
After completing a spelling, the speller must pronounce the word to confirm they are finished. Failure to do so within the allotted time can result in disqualification.
Spellers have 60 seconds from the time they say the first letter to complete the spelling and pronounce the word.

Spellers have the right to request the following:

Re-pronunciation of the word
Definition of the word
Word origin
Example sentence
Part of speech
Tense form
Alternate pronunciation (if available)
Clarification of homonyms (if a word has multiple meanings, the pronouncer will specify which to spell by giving a definition)

Important Notes:

Spellers should make use of these options rather than relying solely on pronunciation.
Once a speller says the letters, they cannot change the order.
Contestants may be disqualified if they fail to start spelling within a reasonable time after being asked.

About The NSB

Adjudication Criteria

The competition will primarily be conducted in English.
The multi-lingual section, which uses words from a multi-lingual word list with English translations, may not be featured in some State Level competitions.
Any complaints, suggestions, or clarifications should be directed to the adjudicator.
Complaints about the spelling of a word must be raised before the current round ends.
Both American and British spellings are accepted. The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (SOED, Sixth edition) will serve as the final authority for all pronunciations and spellings.
For more details and access to the dictionary, please click HERE.

About The NSB

Officiating Panel

The Spelling Bee will be overseen by an Officiating Panel, which includes:

Primary Pronouncer
Adjudicator
Program Director

Primary Pronouncer

Uses the official computerized audio to pronounce the words.
Pronounces the word for each speller and provides alternative pronunciations, if requested by the speller and within the competition’s guidelines.
On request, provides details such as the word’s language of origin, definition, sentence example, part of speech, and tenses.
If a word has homonyms, the Pronouncer will define the specific word to be spelled.

Adjudicator

Sits apart from the Pronouncer.
Rules on disputes raised by participants or the audience, ensuring the competition runs smoothly.
Assists the Pronouncer by confirming if the word was spelled correctly.
Ensures that spellers stick to the time limit of 60 seconds to spell their word.
Manages the list of participants, crossing off eliminated spellers and submitting their results.

Program Director

Oversees the event proceedings and opens the competition.
Introduces the Officiating Panel and explains the rules to the audience.
Acknowledges and encourages the participants.
Instructs the audience to applaud only at the end of each round, not after each speller’s turn.
Announces the beginning and end of each round, then hands over the floor to the Pronouncer.

Feel free to register if you meet the eligibility requirements. CLICK HERE to begin.

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Competition Rules