Young Ethiopian Mathematics and Informatics Talents Turn Intensive Training into Historic Continental Success

Bahir Dar University (BDU), through its scholars from the Department of Mathematics, in collaboration with the African Olympiad Academy (AOA), the Ethiopian Mathematics Professionals Association (EMPA), AddisCoder, and the Ministry of Education (MoE), with Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU), organized a Mathematics and Informatics Olympiad Training Camp from May 18–23, 2026, at AASTU.

The intensive camp brought together some of Ethiopia's most promising young talents in mathematics and informatics. The participants had been selected through a series of national competitions, selection examinations, and screening processes conducted across the country, with the valuable efforts of the EMPA network, its member’s dedication and the support of AOA.

A total of 21 outstanding students participated in the Mathematics Olympiad training program, while 10 students participated in the Informatics Olympiad preparation track through AddisCoder.

The camp was designed to prepare students for continental Olympiad competitions while also nurturing advanced analytical thinking, creativity, perseverance, collaboration, and Olympiad-level problem-solving skills. For the students, it was an opportunity not only to deepen their technical knowledge but also to develop the confidence and resilience needed to compete on a continental stage.

From Intensive Preparation to Continental Competition

The training camp served as an important stage in Ethiopia's preparation for two major continental competitions: the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO) 2026, held in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire, from June 26 to July 4, and the Pan African Informatics Olympiad (PAIO) 2026, held in Kigali, Rwanda, from July 23–30.

For these young contestants, the journey from the training room to the continental competition stage represented months of preparation, problem solving, coaching, selection, and personal sacrifice.

Their performances demonstrated what can be achieved when talented students are given sustained mentorship, structured preparation, and opportunities to challenge themselves against some of Africa's strongest young mathematicians and computer scientists.

Ethiopia Shines at PAMO 2026

Ethiopia achieved a remarkable result at the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO) 2026, marking the country's second participation in PAMO and its participation in the 33rd edition of the competition.

Ethiopia first participated in PAMO in 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda, where Team Ethiopia received one Honourable Mention, awarded to a student from Bahir Dar University’s STEM program.

The progress from that first participation to PAMO 2026 represents an important step forward for Ethiopian mathematics Olympiads. In 2026, Ethiopian contestants earned four Bronze Medals in the main PAMO competition, while Ethiopian girls earned three Bronze Medals in the PAMO Girls competition.

Two students, Hawlet Romedan Yesuf and Melek Muhammed Urgessa, achieved Bronze Medal recognition in both the main PAMO competition and the PAMO Girls competition, while Hasset Samson Jimma earned a Bronze Medal in the PAMO Girls competition.

Beyond the medals, however, the achievement belongs to the entire Ethiopian PAMO team. Each of the six contestants represented Ethiopia on the continental stage after a demanding national selection and intensive training process.

The Ethiopian PAMO 2026 Team

Boys

• Keraj Bahiru — Jimma University Special Secondary School — Bronze Medal
• Mikiyas Tesfay Gebregiorgis — Kotebe University of Education, Menelik I Science Shared Campus — Bronze Medal
• Shalom Berhanu — Haile-Manas Academy — Finalist and team member; narrowly missed a Bronze Medal by one point

Girls

• Hawlet Romedan Yesuf — Yihunie Woldu Metasebiya Dessie Special Boarding School — Bronze Medal in PAMO and Bronze Medal in PAMO Girls
• Hasset Samson Jimma — Ethio National School, Addis Ababa — Bronze Medal in PAMO Girls
• Melek Muhammed Urgessa — BNB, Hawassa — Bronze Medal in PAMO and Bronze Medal in PAMO Girls

Team Leadership

• Team Leader: Dr. Abdu Mohammed, Department of Mathematics, Bahir Dar University
• Deputy Team Leader: Mr. Yassin Tesfaw, PhD Candidate, Department of Mathematics, Bahir Dar University

A Team Achievement Beyond the Medal Count

The performance of Shalom Berhanu deserves particular recognition. Although he did not receive a medal, he finished only one point short of the Bronze Medal threshold. His performance demonstrates the exceptionally high level of competition and the narrow margins that often separate medal-winning performances from other outstanding results.

Shalom's achievement is an important reminder that Olympiad success cannot be measured by medals alone. Reaching the Ethiopian national team, completing the demanding preparation process, and competing successfully at the continental level are achievements in themselves.

Together with Keraj, Mikiyas, Hawlet, Hasset, and Melek, Shalom contributed to Team Ethiopia's historic PAMO performance and represented the country with determination, discipline, and excellence.

Team Ethiopia at PAMO 2026: the six young mathematicians who represented Ethiopia at the 33rd Pan African Mathematics Olympiad in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.

Shalom Berhanu of Haile-Manas Academy delivered a strong performance at PAMO 2026, finishing just one point short of the Bronze Medal threshold.

 A Historic Debut for Ethiopia at PAIO 2026

The achievements continued with another important milestone: Ethiopia's first-ever participation in the Pan African Informatics Olympiad (PAIO).

Making its debut on the continental informatics stage, Team Ethiopia achieved an impressive result, securing two Silver Medals, three Bronze Medals, and one Honourable Mention.

For a country participating in PAIO for the first time, this result represents a remarkable achievement and an important milestone in the development of competitive programming and informatics education in Ethiopia.

PAIO 2026 Medalists

Boys

• Nobel Desalegn Shetie — Bahir Dar University STEM Incubation Center — Silver Medal
• Moti Niguse Hundesa — Ambo University Special Secondary School — Silver Medal
• Mikiyas Shegaw Alemu — Bahir Dar University STEM Incubation Center — Bronze Medal

Girls

• Heran Alemayehu — KUE Science Shared Campus — Bronze Medal
• Hasset Samson Jimma — Ethio National School — Bronze Medal
• Helen Gelagay — Haile-Manas Academy — Honourable Mention

PAIO Team Leadership and Delegation

• Observer A: Dr. Abinew Ali, ICT4D Director, Bahir Dar University
• Team Leader: Mr. Nardos Wohabe, a finalist in the 2025 Rayan International AI and Programming Competition World Finals, held in Tehran, Iran and Teaching Assistant in the 2025 AddisCoder cohort

Team Ethiopia made its historic debut at PAIO 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda, returning with two Silver Medals, three Bronze Medals, and one Honourable Mention.

The Students Behind the Medals

Behind every medal is a story of persistence, discipline, curiosity, and determination.

For the Ethiopian contestants, the continental competitions were the culmination of intensive preparation and months of hard work. They had to master challenging mathematical and computational concepts, solve unfamiliar problems, learn from mistakes, work under time pressure, and develop the confidence to compete against some of the best young talents from across Africa.

The achievements of the students are therefore more than a collection of medals. They represent the result of a growing ecosystem of students, teachers, coaches, parents, universities, professional associations, government institutions, and partners working together to identify and nurture academic talent.

The stories of the medalists are particularly inspiring for students across Ethiopia.

Nobel Desalegn Shetie and Moti Niguse Hundesa, for example, helped write a new chapter in Ethiopian informatics by winning Silver Medals in the country's first-ever PAIO participation.

In mathematics, Keraj Bahiru, Mikiyas Tesfay Gebregiorgis, Hawlet Romedan Yesuf, and Melek Muhammed Urgessa demonstrated Ethiopia's growing competitiveness in the main PAMO competition, while Hawlet, Melek, and Hasset Samson Jimma earned additional Bronze Medals in the PAMO Girls competition.

At the same time, every member of the Ethiopian teams deserves recognition. Participation itself represents a significant achievement and provides invaluable experience for the next generation of Olympiad contestants.

Students engage in intensive problem-solving sessions during the Mathematics and Informatics Olympiad Training Camp at AASTU.

A Collective Achievement

The success of the Ethiopian teams is the product of collaboration extending well beyond a single institution.

Bahir Dar University extends its sincere appreciation to the African Olympiad Academy (AOA) for its partnership and support; the Ethiopian Mathematics Professionals Association (EMPA) for its commitment and sustained efforts to advance mathematics education and Olympiad activities in Ethiopia; AddisCoder for its contribution to informatics preparation; and the Ministry of Education for its support and commitment to nurturing academic excellence among Ethiopian students.

BDU also expresses its gratitude to Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, the team leaders, deputy team leaders, coaches, observers, teachers, parents, schools, universities, and all individuals whose dedication contributed to the preparation and participation of the Ethiopian teams.

Every training session, every problem solved, every coaching session, every selection examination, and every word of encouragement contributed to this achievement.

This success belongs to all of us.

Beyond the Medals

While the medals are a source of great pride, the deeper significance of PAMO and PAIO lies in what the experience has created in the students.

Olympiad preparation teaches young people to approach difficult problems with patience and creativity. It teaches them that failure is part of learning, that difficult problems can be approached from different perspectives, and that perseverance can turn seemingly impossible challenges into achievable goals.

The success of the Ethiopian teams also sends an important message to students throughout the country:

With opportunity, mentorship, preparation, and determination, Ethiopian students can compete and succeed at the highest levels of academic competition in Africa.

The results achieved in 2026 should not be viewed as the destination. They are an important milestone in a much larger journey to build a stronger national culture of mathematical reasoning, computational thinking, scientific creativity, and academic excellence. The achievements of 2026 therefore provide not only a reason to celebrate, but also a foundation on which Ethiopia's next generation of Olympiad ambitions can be built.

Looking Ahead: Expanding Ethiopia's Olympiad Ambitions in 2027

The achievements of 2026 are not an endpoint. They represent an important foundation for a broader and more coordinated effort to strengthen Olympiad education and participation in Ethiopia.

Building on the experience of the Mathematics and Informatics Olympiad Training Camp, the successful PAMO and PAIO participation, and the growing collaboration among Ethiopian universities, professional associations, government institutions, schools, and Olympiad organizations, the partners are already looking ahead to 2027.

The collaborative vision for 2027 has three complementary objectives.

Continuing PAMO Participation

Following the encouraging performance at PAMO 2026, the collaborative team aims to continue Ethiopia's participation in the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad in 2027.

The objective is not simply to repeat participation, but to build on the experience of the 2026 team, strengthen the national selection and preparation process, expand the pool of talented students, and provide more opportunities for young Ethiopian mathematicians to develop their abilities.

The achievements of the 2026 PAMO team provide a strong foundation on which the next generation can build.

Building on Ethiopia's PAIO Debut

The collaborative effort also aims to continue Ethiopia's participation in the Pan African Informatics Olympiad (PAIO) in 2027.

Ethiopia's first-ever participation in PAIO 2026, which resulted in two Silver Medals, three Bronze Medals, and one Honourable Mention, demonstrated the considerable potential of Ethiopian students in informatics and competitive programming.

The next phase will focus on consolidating this achievement, strengthening informatics training, identifying new talent, and developing a sustainable preparation pathway for future PAIO teams.

A New Ambition: Ethiopia's First IMO Team

In addition to continuing PAMO and PAIO participation, the collaboration has set an ambitious new objective: preparing and sending Ethiopia's first-ever team to the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in 2027.

As part of this preparation, the Ethiopian Olympiad collaboration participated in the 67th International Mathematical Olympiad in Shanghai, China, from July 13–21, 2026, through an Observer A, represented by Dr. Abdu Mohammed from the Department of Mathematics at Bahir Dar University.

The Observer A participation provided valuable first-hand exposure to the organization, examination procedures, coordination, team management, and broader international environment of the IMO. The experience will help the collaborative team develop an appropriate national framework for IMO selection, training, and preparation.

The goal is to build on this experience and prepare a strong Ethiopian delegation for the 68th International Mathematical Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, in 2027.

Ethiopia's Observer A, Dr. Abdu Mohammed, at the 67th International Mathematical Olympiad in Shanghai, China, as part of the collaborative effort to prepare Ethiopia for its first IMO participation in 2027.

A Collaborative National Pathway

The ambition for 2027 reflects an important evolution in Ethiopia's Olympiad activities. Rather than viewing PAMO, PAIO, and IMO as separate initiatives, the collaborative partners envision them as interconnected components of a broader national pathway for identifying and nurturing exceptional young talent.

The pathway begins with talent identification and national selection, continues through intensive training and mentorship, provides opportunities for continental competition through PAMO and PAIO, and now seeks to open a pathway toward Ethiopia's first participation in the IMO.

Achieving these goals will require sustained collaboration among Bahir Dar University, the African Olympiad Academy, the Ethiopian Mathematics Professionals Association, AddisCoder, the Ministry of Education, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, schools, universities, coaches, parents, and other partners.

The collaboration will seek to strengthen several areas, including:

• early identification and development of talented students;
• regular national and regional Olympiad training;
• strengthening the national selection process;
• development and mentoring of Olympiad coaches;
• increasing participation and opportunities for girls;
• strengthening mathematics and informatics Olympiad communities;
• expanding university–school collaboration;
• improving access to advanced training resources; and
• establishing sustainable institutional mechanisms for national and international Olympiad participation.

The ambition is therefore both immediate and long-term:

Continue PAMO. Continue PAIO. Prepare Ethiopia's first IMO team. Build a sustainable national Olympiad ecosystem in collaboration.

The achievements of 2026 demonstrate what Ethiopian students can accomplish when talented young people are supported by committed educators, institutions, partners, families, and a collaborative national effort. The goal for 2027 is to build on that foundation and create even greater opportunities for the next generation.

Bahir Dar University remains committed to contributing to this national effort and to creating opportunities through which talented young Ethiopians can discover, develop, and demonstrate their abilities.

Congratulations to Our Young Champions!

Bahir Dar University extends its heartfelt congratulations to all members of the Ethiopian PAMO 2026 and PAIO 2026 teams for their outstanding achievements and for representing Ethiopia with excellence, integrity, determination, and resilience.

To the medalists, congratulations on your remarkable accomplishments.

To every contestant, coach, teacher, parent, team leader, observer, institution, partner, and supporter, thank you for contributing to this journey.

Your success has made your families, schools, universities, and the entire country proud.

The medals celebrate what these young Ethiopians have achieved. Their greatest contribution, however, may be the inspiration they provide to thousands of students who will follow them.

Bahir Dar University will continue to nurture excellence.