The Shepherd School, Lafiagi, has emerged as the overall winner of the 2025 edition of the Kwara State Annual Tax Quiz Competition, a flagship education programme organised by the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.

The Lafiagi-based school clinched the top position by scoring 20 points, continuing a strong run for Lafiagi schools. Government Secondary School, Lafiagi, came in second with 16 points, and St. Anthony's Secondary School, Ilorin, placed third with 10 points.

Following the top three were:

• Ansarul Islam Grammar School, Ijomu Oro (8 points)
• Roemichs International School, Ilorin (6 points)
• Ansar-Ud-Deen College, Offa (4 points)

Prizes Awarded

The winning schools received substantial cash prizes:

• 1st Place (Shepherd School, Lafiagi): N2.5 million
• 2nd Place (Government Secondary School, Lafiagi): N1.5 million
• 3rd Place (St. Anthony's Secondary School, Ilorin): N1 million

Consolation prizes were also awarded to other participants, encouraging broader engagement in tax awareness and education.

The competition, which drew 99 schools from across the state, has grown into Nigeria's foremost tax education and orientation programme, inspiring thousands of young people to understand the role of taxation in governance and development.

Speaking at the event, held in Ilorin and witnessed by traditional rulers, educationists, and government officials, the Executive Chairman of KW-IRS, Mrs. Shade Omoniyi, said the initiative has become a key driver of tax literacy and civic awareness among the youth.

Omoniyi disclosed that Kwara State recorded a 36 per cent year-on-year growth in internally generated revenue (IGR) between 2023 and 2024, positioning the state as the fifth least dependent on federal allocation nationwide.

"Our consistency in promoting tax education through this competition has helped to build a fair, transparent, and efficient tax system that fosters public trust and compliance," she said.

"We are proud that our students, both in public and private schools, are now winning medals locally and internationally as ambassadors of good citizenship."

She commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for sustaining the initiative, describing it as "a visionary investment in a generation of disciplined, tax-conscious, and multi-talented youths ready to conquer the world."

In her presentation titled "The Journey So Far," the Head of Corporate Affairs at KW-IRS, Mrs. Funmilola Oguntunbi, described the competition as one of the agency's most cherished platforms for engaging, educating, and inspiring young people toward responsible citizenship.

"The competition is not just about winning; it is about learning and developing civic responsibility," she said. "By teaching students about taxation and its role in state development, we are nurturing informed citizens who will sustain voluntary compliance and contribute to a prosperous, self-reliant Kwara."

Now in its successive editions, the Kwara State Annual Tax Quiz Competition has become a model for other states, underlining Kwara's leadership in promoting tax education and youth orientation across Nigeria.