The fourth edition of the MTN Championship has commenced in Jos, with 148 schools and teams competing for honours in a major boost to grassroots athletics development in Nigeria.
The competition, organised by MTN Nigeria, is being held at the New Jos Township Stadium and features about 1,300 athletes participating in 94 events across four age categories.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the event, MTN’s Chief Internal Audit and Forensic Services Officer, Ibe Etea, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to youth development through sports.
“We have had previous editions of the MTN Champs event here, and we are grateful for the opportunity to return,” he said, thanking the Plateau State Government and residents for hosting the tournament.
Etea disclosed that participating schools would compete for enhanced prize money, with ₦2 million for first place, ₦1.5 million for second, ₦1 million for third, and ₦500,000 for fourth position.
He noted that since its inception in 2022, the MTN Champs initiative has engaged about 20,000 athletes from over 1,500 schools nationwide, with at least 30 athletes progressing to the MTN Champs Athletics Academy and others earning medals at national competitions.
Also speaking, the Managing Editor of Making of Champions, Yemi Galadima, described the competition as a key platform for discovering and nurturing young talents.
“MTN Champs has become a very important private-sector competition… it provides athletes with a platform across different events,” she said.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Sports, Musa Ashoms, commended the organisers and pledged government support for the success of the tournament.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Education, Kachollom Gang, said the initiative would help develop champions while promoting academic excellence among students.
The championship, which runs until March 28, will later move to Ibadan for its grand finale.
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