MTN Nigeria has unveiled over ₦20 million in prize money for schools as the 2026 edition of MTN Champs kicked off in Calabar, marking the championship’s 4th edition.
Victoria Omini
Speaking at a press briefing, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Ikenna Emeka, announced that the top four schools at this year’s championship will receive ₦2 million, ₦1.5 million, ₦1 million and ₦500,000 respectively.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, MTN also introduced a special attendance award aimed at rewarding schools that turn out in large numbers to support their athletes. The top five schools in that category will receive ₦5 million, ₦3 million, ₦2 million, ₦1.5 million and ₦1 million respectively, while schools placed sixth to 10th will receive ₦500,000 each.
Emeka said the funds are intended to strengthen school sports programmes and encourage broader participation in athletics.
MTN Champs, organised in partnership with Making of Champions (MOC), has engaged over 22,000 athletes from more than 1,300 schools across Nigeria in its first three seasons.
According to MOC representative Yemi Galadima, more than 1,000 athletes from 121 schools and teams are competing in Calabar across four age categories — Under-14, Under-17, Under-20 and Senior — featuring nearly 100 track and field events.
Galadima said the championship has become a major pathway for national selection, revealing that about 80 per cent of Nigeria’s team to last year’s African Under-20 Championships had competed at MTN Champs.
He added that 30 Most Valuable Performers currently enrolled in the MTN Champs Academy have collectively won 38 medals across the circuit, 14 national medals and 10 international medals within one year of structured training.
He noted that competitions in Calabar and the upcoming Continental Relays are critical as Nigeria seeks to secure qualification spots for the World Relays, with the deadline set for April 5.
MTN recently extended its partnership with Making of Champions through 2028, a move stakeholders say will provide continuity in athlete development ahead of the next Olympic cycle.
Also speaking at the event, Pastor Emmanuel Ebong, representing the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), commended MTN and MOC for maintaining discipline among student-athletes and tackling age cheating in school sports.
He disclosed that Nigeria will host the next African School Sports Festival in 2027 and expressed confidence that athletes discovered through MTN Champs will represent the country with distinction.
The Calabar competition runs for three days, with organisers projecting another wave of emerging talents from what has grown into one of Nigeria’s largest school athletics platforms.
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