MTN Nigeria has officially launched Season 4 of MTN CHAMPS in Lagos, unveiling a three-year development plan designed to prepare young Nigerian athletes for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The launch, held on Wednesday at the MTN Rooftop, comes after Nigeria failed to win a medal at the last Olympic Games in Paris. Organisers said the renewed focus on structured athlete development is aimed at closing gaps in preparation and improving long-term planning for international competitions.
At the event, 10 athletes discovered during Season 3 were presented with “Golden Tickets” into the Making of Champions (MoC) Athletics Academy. The athletes are Victory Aganya, Emmanuel Akolo, Michael Aniche, Rebecca Enilolobo, Chidimma Esomonu, Abdulfatah Oduwole, Nneoma Okonkwo, Mighty Otunola, Destiny Reuben and Kehinde Seriki. They join 20 athletes recruited in previous seasons, bringing the academy’s total roster to 30, the largest intake since its inception.
MTN also confirmed a three-year extension of its partnership with MoC, covering Seasons 4, 5 and 6 through the 2028 Olympic cycle. The agreement is expected to provide continuity for athletes in cadet, youth, junior and senior categories as they prepare for global events, including the World U20 Championships and other continental competitions.
Yahaya Ibrahim, Chief Technical Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the initiative aligns with national sports objectives.
“With Season 4 of MTN CHAMPS, one of our primary objectives is to align with the national sports agenda to ensure that the talent we discover today is standing on the podium at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,” Mr Ibrahim stated. “Nigeria has the raw potential; MTN is proud to provide the structured pathway to turn that potential into global excellence.”
Season 4 is set to begin this month in line with the inter-house sports calendar in secondary schools. The competition will feature three regional qualifiers before a grand finale.
According to the schedule released, the MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics will take place in Calabar from 5–7 March. The Continental Relays will be held in Jos from 26–28 March, while the Grand Finale is scheduled for Ibadan from 15–18 April.
MoC officials said the Calabar and Jos events could also support Nigeria’s preparations for the 2026 World Relays, with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) considering the meets as part of qualification planning.
Tonobok Okowa, President of the AFN, said the federation would continue to provide technical support to the programme.
“I have had the opportunity to attend some of the editions of MTN CHAMPS, and the organisers have been doing very well. The impact has been evident, and we look forward to the role MTN CHAMPS will continue to play over the next three years in preparing our athletes for competitions on the continental and global stage.”
Olabisi Joseph, President of the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), said the competition has widened opportunities for young athletes in schools across the country.
“The past three years of MTN CHAMPS have provided a platform for young athletes from Nigeria to compete. A lot of this talent would have been on the streets, wasting away, but because of MTN and MoC, we can harness the abundance of talent in our school system.”
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MoC, Bambo Akani, described the new three-year agreement as a major step for Olympic planning in Nigeria.
“This is an absolutely monumental and historic move by MTN. Never in the history of Nigeria have athletes across all age groups had such certainty of a multi-year runway to prepare for international, continental and national competitions all the way to the Olympic Games.
“A three-year runway allows athletes, coaches and institutions to plan properly for Olympic and World U20 cycles. We are about to witness a complete transformation of athletics in Nigeria, and I look forward to seeing the impact that MTN CHAMPS will have on Nigeria’s Olympic team in 2028.
“This is a rallying call for brands across the country to join MTN and partners such as Beacon Power Services in our mission to make champions for Nigeria at the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games and beyond.”
Since its launch in 2023, MTN CHAMPS has recorded over 22,000 athlete entries from more than 1,300 schools across eight cities. Organisers say Season 4 marks the beginning of a more deliberate Olympic pathway as Nigeria aims to return to the podium at the 2028 Games.
