From Grassroots to Gold: MTN Nigeria Commits to Youth Athletics Development with Season 4 MTN CHAMPS Rollout

MTN Nigeria, in partnership with Making of Champions (MoC), has officially unveiled Season 4 of MTN CHAMPS, Africa’s leading grassroots athletics league, following a high-energy launch event held at the MTN Event Centre in Ikoyi.

Building on the success of the first three seasons, which attracted more than 20,000 athlete registrations nationwide, Season 4 is set to be the most ambitious yet. This year’s edition will span three major Nigerian cities as the programme intensifies its mission to discover, develop, and elevate young athletes capable of representing Nigeria on the global stage.

Organisers revealed a comprehensive competition roadmap featuring three major meets designed to test and refine emerging talents:

The MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics will take place from March 5 to 7 in Calabar, a city renowned for its sporting heritage. This three-day event will open the season with intense track and field action.

Next is the MTN CHAMPS Continental Relays, scheduled for March 26 to 28 in Jos. Known for its high-altitude advantage, Jos will host a relay-focused competition that will challenge athletes’ speed, strategy, and teamwork.

The season will conclude with the MTN CHAMPS Grand Final from April 15 to 18 in Ibadan, where top-performing athletes will compete in a four-day championship showdown for the season’s ultimate honours.

Speaking at the unveiling, Obiageli Ugboma, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of MTN Nigeria, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to youth and sports development. She noted that Season 4 represents a continued investment in the future of Nigerian athletics by creating accessible platforms for aspiring champions across the country. According to her, supporting young talent today lays the foundation for Nigeria’s victories tomorrow.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) also highlighted the league’s growing importance in national talent identification. Tonobok Okowa, President of the AFN, described MTN CHAMPS as a critical pipeline for emerging athletes. He observed that the partnership between MTN and MoC has significantly reshaped the athletics landscape, with teenage athletes now recording times and distances comparable to senior competitors. He added that Season 4 comes at a crucial period as Nigeria prepares for upcoming continental and global championships, with the federation providing technical expertise to refine discovered talents into world-class performers.

A major highlight of the event was the announcement of a three-year extension of the MTN–MoC partnership, securing the continuity of the CHAMPS programme through 2028. The agreement provides stability for athletes and coaches as they prepare for future Olympic Games and World U20 competitions.

Bambo Akani, Founder and CEO of Making of Champions, described the extension as the beginning of a new phase for the programme. While the first three seasons focused primarily on discovering talent across Nigeria, he explained that the next stage will prioritise structured development, with deliberate preparation for the 2028 Olympic cycle.

The impact of the programme is already evident in the achievements of several standout athletes. Ezekiel Asuquo, discovered during Season 1, progressed through the MoC Academy to become a sub-46-second 400m runner. He went on to win Mixed 4x400m gold and 4x100m bronze at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games, demonstrating the league’s effectiveness in nurturing elite performers.

In the women’s category, Lucy Nwankwo and Toheebat Jimoh have risen from promising prospects to continental champions. At the 2025 African U-18/U-20 Championships, Nwankwo anchored her team to gold in the 4x100m relay, while Jimoh secured bronze in the 400m and another relay gold medal, further showcasing the programme’s ability to prepare athletes for international competition.

On the domestic front, Miracle Uwem Donald has emerged as one of the programme’s most decorated graduates. After making history at the 2025 National Sports Festival as Lagos State’s most decorated track athlete, she, alongside teammates Benjamin Magaji and Jane Onyeneho, continues to dominate the national circuit. Their performances reinforce MTN CHAMPS’ reputation as a driving force behind Nigeria’s next generation of Olympic hopefuls.

Registrations for MTN CHAMPS Season 4 are now open ahead of the March commencement. Interested athletes can sign up via www.mtnchamps.com as the search begins once again for Nigeria’s future stars.