MTN Signs Three-Year Deal with MoC for MTN CHAMPS

Posted : 13 February 2026

Telecommunications giant MTN on Wednesday reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Nigeria’s grassroots athletics ecosystem with a landmark three-year extension of its partnership with Making of Champions (MoC) for the continued sponsorship of MTN CHAMPS.

The historic partnership, which will run through the LA 2028 Olympic Games, was announced at a press briefing to usher in MTN CHAMPS Season 4 at the MTN Plaza, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The multi-year agreement confirms that MTN CHAMPS Seasons 4, 5, and 6 are now secured through 2028.

The deal provides athletes nationwide, across all age groups — from Cadet and Youth to Junior and Senior — with a structured three-year runway to support long-term preparation toward the 2028 Olympic Games.

Providing a breakdown of MTN CHAMPS Season 4, the Chief Executive Officer of MoC, Bambo Akani, said the cadet championships would be staged across three centres in Nigeria.

“The MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics will be staged in Calabar from March 5 to 7, while the Continental Relays will take place in Jos from March 26 to 28.

“The grand finale for MTN CHAMPS Season 4 will then take place at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, from April 15 to 18,” he said.

Akani noted that the Calabar and Jos meets would play a key role in Nigeria’s preparation ahead of the 2026 World Relays.

He added that the MoC Academy, in conjunction with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), is making plans to ensure Team Nigeria qualifies for those events.

“Ibadan will host the Grand Final in what is projected to be the largest championship gathering in the competition’s history.

“Since its launch in 2023, MTN CHAMPS has grown into Nigeria’s largest secondary school athletics competition, attracting over 22,000 athletes from 1,300 schools across eight cities nationwide.

“MTN has also confirmed continued sponsorship of 20 athletes annually at the MoC Academy through the 2028 Olympic cycle, reinforcing a clear pathway from grassroots discovery to elite international representation,” Akani said.

Further strengthening the ecosystem, Beacon Power Services (BPS) announced a parallel three-year student-athlete scholarship agreement with the MoC Academy.

The agreement provides full educational and performance support through 2028 for Rebecca Enilolobo and Destiny Reuben.

This development increases the number of fully supported athletes at the Academy to 22 out of 30 for the current Olympic cycle, while the remaining eight slots are now available for corporate sponsorship from other brands.

Akani also confirmed that MoC’s strategic partnerships with the AFN, the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), and Roster Athletics will continue through the three-year Olympic cycle.

He explained that the AFN will remain the Official Technical Partner, ensuring electronic timing, standards compliance, and World Athletics ratification of results.

The NSSF will continue as the Official Schools’ Partner, facilitating nationwide school participation, while Roster Athletics will maintain its role as the Competition Management and Live Results Technology Partner.

In her remarks, Obiageli Ugboma, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of MTN, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to youth empowerment.

“MTN CHAMPS Season 4 reflects our commitment to discovering and nurturing the next generation of Nigerian sports stars.

“We are breaking barriers and bringing opportunities closer to home for thousands of aspiring champions.

“At MTN, we are proud to play a role in shaping the future of Nigerian athletics because investing in young talent today secures the victories of tomorrow,” she said.

The President of the AFN, Tonobok Okowa, also praised the efforts of MTN and MoC.

“I have attended some editions of MTN CHAMPS, and the organisers have been doing very well.

“The impact has been evident, and we look forward to the role MTN CHAMPS will continue to play over the next three years in preparing our athletes for competitions on the continental and global stage.

“Some of our top athletes are members of the MoC Athletics Academy and have been invited to our Commonwealth Games camp. For this edition, we will be with you every step of the way,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of Roster Athletics, its Head of Business Development, Kristian Idtgaard, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to the initiative.

“We will continue to support this initiative. We have had the privilege of working with Akani and his team on MTN CHAMPS for three seasons.

“The team has tried to replicate what is happening on the global athletics scene and even improve on it, which demonstrates what is at stake here.

“I also want to mention Roster Athletics’ new partnership with the AFN. We are privileged as a company to support this effort,” he said.

Akani concluded by describing the partnership as monumental.

“This is an absolutely historic move by MTN.

“Never in Nigeria’s history have athletes across all age groups had such certainty of a multi-year runway to prepare for international, continental, and national competitions leading up to the Olympic Games.

“A three-year runway allows athletes, coaches, and institutions to plan properly for Olympic and World U20 cycles.

“We are about to witness a complete transformation of athletics in Nigeria, and I look forward to seeing the impact MTN CHAMPS will have on Nigeria’s Olympic team in 2028,” he said.

Activities at the press briefing also included the unveiling of 10 new athletes into the MoC Athletics Academy following their standout performances at MTN CHAMPS Season 3.

The newly inducted athletes are: Victory Aganya, Emmanuel Akolo, Michael Aniche, Rebecca Enilolobo, Chidimma Esomonu, Abdulfatah Oduwole, Nneoma Okonkwo, Mighty Otunola, Destiny Reuben, and Kehinde Seriki.

Akani added that the new inductees will join the 20 athletes previously recruited from Seasons 1 and 2, bringing the Academy’s roster to a record 30 athletes.

“These athletes represent strong hope in strengthening Nigeria’s sprint and quarter-mile development pipeline through 2028,” he said.

MTN Signs Three-Year Deal with MoC for MTN CHAMPS

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