2,505 Athletes Gear Up For MTN Champs Continental Relays

A total of 2,505 athletes are set to compete in the MTN Champs Lagos Continental Relays, which will take place from 9th to 12th April 2025. The highly anticipated event will be held at two prominent venues—the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex and the University of Lagos Sports Complex—and promises to showcase emerging athletic talent from Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

Participants, representing various age categories including Cadet (U-14), Youth (U-17), Junior (U-20), and Senior, hail from across Nigeria as well as neighbouring nations such as Benin Republic, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire. The competition will highlight track and field events, with a focus on nurturing young athletes through a competitive yet inclusive platform.

In total, 2,505 athletes have registered for the Lagos Continental Relays, encompassing 6,298 event entries from 155 secondary schools, featuring 1,598 male athletes and 907 female athletes. The senior category will also include international athletes from the Republic of Benin, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Athletes will compete in a range of track and field events, including the 100m, 200m, 400m, relays, high jump, and long jump, across four age categories: Cadet (U-14), Youth (U-17), Junior (U-20), and Senior.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Marketing Officer, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, remarked, “MTN Champs is a platform that continues to grow, transform, and inspire the future of athletes and athletics in Nigeria. At MTN, we remain committed to supporting the dreams and aspirations of Nigeria, not only through innovative products but also through involvement in socially impactful initiatives, especially in football and athletics.”

MTN Champs was launched in 2023 to discover and develop young athletic talent across Nigeria. Twenty athletes identified as Most Valuable Players (MVPs) through the programme are currently enrolled in a Lagos-based academy on a one-year scholarship.

Deji Ogeyinbo, Country Manager of Making of Champions (MoC), MTN’s technical partner, highlighted the initiative’s impact. “MTN Champs was born out of a need to create structured training camps for athletes. We have been able to reach remote villages in Nigeria to discover exceptional athletes who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to showcase their talents,” he said.

The Lagos Continental Relays are supported by the Lagos State Government, the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

Lekan Fatodu, Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, reiterated the state government’s support for the MTN Champs initiative. “There is no better way to describe this event than to say that it is exceptional and inspirational. This serves as a motivation for us as the government,” he stated. Fatodu also outlined plans to reform sports infrastructure in the state, including upgrades to the Teslim Balogun Stadium, to support broader sports development in Nigeria.

The grand finale of MTN Champs Season 3 will be held in Uyo from 30th April to 3rd May at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium. MTN Champs aims to invest in the future of Nigerian youth through mentorship, development programmes, and scholarships, identifying talent at the grassroots level and supporting the emergence of Nigeria’s next generation of sporting champions.