JAMAICA’S Nicholas Kee just missed out on the top prize in the annual Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work, held in London on Wednesday.

Kee was one of the four regional winners earning a prize of £3,000 as he topped the entries from the Caribbean.

The overall winner and 2025 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year was Stanley Chidubem Anigbogu from Nigeria.

Anigbogu, founder and CEO of LightEd, was recognised for transforming waste into solar innovations that provide clean energy to more than 10,000 refugees in Africa.

His work draws from his childhood experiences with energy poverty. Determined to create change and promote sustainability as well as climate resilience, he founded LightEd in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a small team of like-minded young people, he has trained 6,000 students and recycled more than 20,000 kilograms of waste.

Originally from Anambra state in south-east Nigeria, Anigbogu received the award from the Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland KC during a vibrant ceremony at Marlborough House in London.

Scotland, being a committed advocate for a sustainable energy transition, thanked Anigbogu for his creative and impactful solution to multiple challenges.

“Not only are you bringing hope and light to vulnerable communities and refugees who face many hardships and disadvantages, but you are also ridding communities of harmful waste and pollution, leaving environments safer and cleaner for other young people. This is a testament to the creativity of the Commonwealth’s youth,” said Scotland.

“Stanley is training other young people and providing skills for employment in a field that will contribute to the energy transition we need to mitigate against climate change. You are a true revolutionary — a visionary — and I am pleased to award you the title of Commonwealth Young Person of the Year,” added Scotland.

It was a double victory for Anigbogu, who also received the top regional award for Africa, earning him a total prize of £5,000. He beamed as he accepted the award, stating:

“It is an incredible honour to receive this recognition alongside an inspiring group of 20 young changemakers, all dedicated to launching innovative solutions that drive transformative change for millions of young people around the world. I cannot wait to continue this journey with the support of the Commonwealth and its remarkable network of partners.”

The awards empower young changemakers aged 15-29 by scaling local innovations to global impact, advancing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) through education, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and inclusivity.

Joining Kee as regional winners were — Asia: Murad Ansary, Bangladesh; Europe and Canada: Zubair Junjunia, United Kingdom; and Pacific: Bethalyn Kelly, Solomon Islands.

From more than 800 submissions, the 20 finalists were narrowed to five regional winners by a pan-Commonwealth adjudication panel. Each of the 20 finalists will receive a trophy, a certificate and £1,000 to support their work.

The Commonwealth Youth Awards are an initiative of the Commonwealth Youth Programme, which has been supporting youth development work in member countries for more than 50 years.

The awards ceremony took place after Commonwealth Day celebrations and was an important milestone during a two-week Commonwealth Youth Leadership Summit in London.