Cowbellpedia is the ultimate maths competition
For nearly twenty years Cowbell has been at the forefront of mathematics development in Nigeria. In 1998, the first Cowbell Mathematics competition was held in Lagos state and was expanded to incorporate all of Nigeria in 2001. The competition is open to all junior and senior secondary schools in the country and admittance is free.
In 2015, Promasidor decided to completely reinvent the competition and make it a focal point of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The competition was rebranded Cowbellpedia, with the second part of the competition turned into a TV quiz show.
The competition is held across Nigeria with over 50 000 schools participating. Two participants, a junior and a senior, are selected from each school. From there, the students participate in a series of preliminary rounds until 36 students are selected for the Cowbellpedia TV Quiz show, from which 12 finalists are selected for the final round, which is broadcast around the country on a host of different TV and radio stations. The ultimate prize is 1 million Naira, with the teacher of the winner receiving 400 000 Naira.
Cowbellpedia is also supported on social media and especially on Facebook. Cowbell Nigeria covered every step of the competition, with accolades for great performances along with witty comments and questions. The page also posted video clips from the Quiz show. All these elements allowed Cowbell to rise above its competitors and etched the brand in the minds of consumers across the country.
Though in its infancy, Cowbellpedia has been a great hit with TV audiences across Nigeria. As it evolves, we will refine and innovate our offering to make it more interesting and attractive, while at the same time promoting the importance of mathematics to the general public.