The grand finale, which was held on Sunday, saw Faith Ekwebenam outshine other contestants to clinch the national crown.
She will now represent Nigeria at the 63rd Miss International pageant, set for 27 November 2025 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
At the conclusion of the highly competitive event, Miss Lagos was named first runner-up, with Miss Bauchi, Miss Edo, Miss Cross River, and Miss Nasarawa placing as second to fifth runners-up.
Ekwebenam’s win is the continuation of Nigeria’s steady participation at Miss International, following in the footsteps of Perpetual Ukadike, who carried the country’s sash at the 2024 edition of the global contest.
The Miss International pageant, considered one of the world’s “Big Four” beauty competitions, focuses not only on beauty and poise but also on cultural exchange and advocacy.
Ekwebenam is expected to champion projects that highlight Nigeria’s heritage while promoting goodwill on the international stage.
In a twist that placed Anambra at the centre of Nigeria’s pageant spotlight, Onyinyechi Basil, also representing the state, was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria 2025 in a separate contest held in Lagos.
Basil clinched the title after an intense finale that left her standing side by side with Miss Lagos, Damilola Bolarinde, as the last two contestants before being confirmed as winner by the organisers.
Other finalists included Miss Bayelsa, Fortune Kurobo, who finished as second runner-up, and Miss Ogun, Irene Ikediashi, who came in third runner-up.
The double victory means Anambra now holds the crowns for both of Nigeria’s leading international beauty franchises, a feat hailed by industry followers as unprecedented.
With both Ekwebenam and Basil preparing for international competitions later this year, pageant fans say all eyes will be on how Nigeria performs at Miss International in Japan and Miss Universe later in the year.
