The fourth edition of the MTN Championship will commence on Thursday (Today) in Plateau State, with 148 schools and teams set to compete for medals in various athletics events.
The tournament, part of MTN’s initiative to promote youth development and grassroots sports across Nigeria, will take place at the New Jos Township Stadium.
Addressing a press conference in Jos on Wednesday as part of activities heralding the competition, the Chief Internal Audit and Forensic Services Officer at MTN, Ibe Etea, reiterated the company’s commitment to nurturing young talents through sports.
He said, “We have had previous editions of the MTN Champs event here, and we are grateful for the opportunity to return. We sincerely thank the government representatives and the good people of this great city for hosting us once again.”
Etea disclosed that the event would feature about 1,300 athletes competing in 94 events across four age categories, with prizes including ₦2m for first place, ₦1.5m for second place, ₦1m for third place and ₦500,000 for fourth place.
“This is the fourth edition of the event. We have already held successful meets in Lagos and Calabar, and now we are in Jos before moving to the grand finale in Ibadan.
“What we are doing differently this time is the introduction of enhanced rewards to further encourage excellence. For schools competing in athletics, the prizes are as follows: first place ₦2m, second place ₦1.5m, third place ₦1m and fourth place ₦500,000,” he added.
Etea explained that MTN Champs has recorded significant growth since its inception in 2022, with about 20,000 athletes and over 1,500 schools participating nationwide, while 30 outstanding athletes have progressed to the MTN Champs Athletics Academy.
According to him, participants in the programme have recorded notable achievements, including winning 14 medals in national competitions and representing Nigeria in the men’s 4x400m relay event.
The Managing Editor of Making of Champions, Yemi Galadima, also highlighted the impact of the competition on youth sports development.
“Here in Jos, we have about 1,300 athletes competing from 148 schools and teams. Over the next three days, we will see students in action across 94 events and four age categories.
“That is why MTN Champs has become a very important private-sector competition, as it provides athletes with a platform across different events. It has also become an important fixture in the calendar of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria because it gives athletes the opportunity to compete across four age categories, which was previously uncommon in Nigeria,” she said.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Sports, Musa Ashoms, commended MTN for choosing the state to host the championship and assured organisers of government support.
“We are delighted to host MTN Champs in Plateau State, and we pledge the support of the state government to ensure the success of the tournament,” he said.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Education, Kachollom Gang, expressed confidence that the competition would help nurture champions while promoting education through sports.
“We are proud to host MTN Champs in Plateau State, and we believe the initiative will help develop champions and encourage academic excellence alongside sporting achievement,” she said.
Also speaking, the Director of the Plateau State Sports Council, Prof. Ezra Gunen, commended MTN for sustaining the initiative and urged young athletes to balance sports with education, noting that sporting careers are often short and require academic support for long-term success.
The 2026 MTN Championship in Jos is scheduled to run until March 28, 2026, after which the competition will move to Ibadan for the grand finale.
The PUNCH