Jane-Frances Chiamaka Gabriel of Queen of the Rosary College Onitsha has emerged champion of the 2026 National Head Girl Competition, organised by the Women in Leadership Advancement Network (WILAN Global). She won a cash prize of ₦1 million and a brand-new laptop at the grand finale held on Tuesday, October 13, at Alliance Française in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Jane-Frances, who represented her school in the competition, clinched the top prize with an innovation that uses plantable pencils made from recycled paper to teach children about climate change.
Her victory followed a multi-stage selection process that saw her advance from an initial pool of applicants to the top 16 contestants, then the top eight, before securing a place among the final three. Her progression earned her an all-expenses-paid trip to Lagos, which she undertook alongside the school’s principal, Reverend Sister Maria Chijioke Nwankwo, for the grand finale.
At the final, Jane-Frances competed against some of Nigeria’s most promising young female student leaders while presenting her innovation as a practical way to introduce environmental awareness to children while encouraging sustainable habits from an early age.
The competition concluded with Fetuga Ameerah of the International School, University of Lagos, taking second place, while Oritsematosan Jackson of Royal Family Academy, Abuja, finished third.
Organised by WILAN Global, the National Head Girl Competition is an innovation and leadership platform for head girls across Nigeria. It provides participants with an opportunity to demonstrate their leadership abilities, develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges and showcase their capacity to contribute meaningfully to their communities.