Organisers of Nigeria’s leading cadet athletics competition, MTN Champs, have unveiled Ibadan, Calabar and Jos as host cities for Season 4.
The announcement was made on Wednesday at a press briefing held at the MTN Plaza, Ikoyi, Lagos.
MTN Champs, sponsored by telecommunications giant MTN, is designed to discover outstanding track and field athletes from schools nationwide.
Over three seasons, the competition has served as a launchpad for young athletes tipped to become future global stars.
Convener and Making of Champions (MoC) Chief Executive, Bambo Akanni, said Season 4 would hold simultaneously across the three cities.
“MTN Champs Season 4 will feature 92 track and field events across four age categories: Cadet, Youth, Junior and Senior,” he said.
He added that the four-day Ibadan events would take place at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, and the University of Ibadan Sports Complex.
Nigeria School Sports Federation President, Olabisi Joseph, praised the organisers for the championship’s grassroots appeal.
“This kind of competition is what we need in Nigeria to discover talents across cadet, youth, junior and senior categories.
“It caters for athletes from junior secondary level to those out of the school system and helps us monitor their growth,” she said.
Joseph said previously discovered talents were under close federation monitoring to ensure continuity and progression.
“We have been monitoring these emerging stars. That is why we are giving 10 golden tickets.
“Veteran Olympian Mary Onyali mentors these youngsters. MTN Champs provides a platform to discover, develop and showcase talent,” she said.
Reflecting on the initiative, Akanni said the vision began with the founding of Making of Champions in 2013.
“We launched the MoC Athletics Academy in 2016, and MTN’s partnership in 2023 strengthened our Olympic ambition.
“Over a decade, our athletes have won more than 100 national and international medals, many now on United States scholarships.
“Currently, 30 athletes train at the academy, 20 sponsored by MTN and two by Beacon Power Services,” he said.
Akanni described MTN Champs as a call for more corporate bodies to support sports development nationwide.
“We shortlist top athletes into a Most Valuable Performers team and invite them to the grand finale each season.
“Within one year, 20 academy athletes produced 10 international, 14 national and 38 MTN Champs medals in 2025 alone,” he said.
