Nigerian-American beauty queen Victoria Oluwakotanmi was crowned Miss Grand USA 2026, following the termination of the competition’s initial winner, Mekayla Li, few days after she achieved the feat.

The Miss Grand USA organisation later confirmed Ms Oluwakotanmi as the new champion of the beauty pageant after she finished as the first runner-up in the pageant’s grand finale in Las Vegas on August 10, representing Indiana.

The organisation cited reasons related to its contractual policies and other circumstances for Ms Li’s disqualification as the competition’s winner.

Ms Oluwakotanmi has begun her reign as Miss Grand USA 2026 and will represent the U.S. at the Miss Grand International 2026 pageant holding in Thailand from September 18 to October 10.

Things Nigerians should know about Miss Grand USA 2026 Victoria Oluwakotanmi.

Victoria Oluwakotanmi is a Nigerian American born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, by Nigerian immigrant parents in the U.S.

.She has publicly spoken about her Nigerian heritage and often described her father’s journey as inspiration for her life, moving to the U.S. and working as a dishwasher before securing a doctorate in nursing. 

.She served in the U.S. armed forces, where she joined the U.S. Navy Reserve and enlisted as a logistics specialist in March 2019. While serving in the Navy, she secured a degree in chemical engineering at Northwest Vista College.

In 2020, she began her pageantry journey and clinched Miss Black San Antonio in 2020, before winning the Miss Grand Illinois title and competing in Miss Texas USA.

.The beauty queen has been involved in several youth empowerment initiatives, including scholarships and mentoring programmes, as part of her Oluwakotanmi Promise Foundation, established in honour of her late grandmother. 

.Ms Oluwakotanmi was crowned the winner of the 2026 Miss Grand USA pageant after the Miss Grand USA organisation terminated the reign of Mekalya Li, who was the competition’s initial winner. She will represent the U.S. at the Miss Grand International 2026 pageant.