Nigeria’s elite marathon runners, mostly members of the Jos-based High Altitude Athletics Club, have revealed their top priority for 2025: competing in and winning the top ten positions at the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.
According to Steve Nuhu, director of High Altitude Athletics Club and manager of most of Nigeria’s elite marathoners, the decision is based on the lucrativeness of the race, particularly the 21 km event, and the organisers’ prompt payment of prize money.
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“We have all agreed to prioritise the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon,” Mr Nuhu told the media shortly before the Christmas break. “We will regroup in the first week of the new year, and our focus will be on the ECOWAS Marathon.”
Mr Nuhu highlighted the potential financial rewards of competing in the ECOWAS Marathon. “We have a very good chance of winning about eight of the top ten positions in the ECOWAS race because it is a half marathon. For example, if our club produces the winners of the men’s and women’s races, that’s $10,000 each, which comes to about N40 million in today’s exchange rate. We can’t get that kind of money elsewhere.”
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Mr Nuhu also praised the organisers of the ECOWAS Marathon for their prompt payment of prize money and the overall organisation of the event.
“We thank the management of ECOWAS Marathon for paying our prize money immediately after the race. We have never experienced a delay in the payment of prize money. It’s always a great experience and exciting moment for our runners, and we look forward to the 2025 edition with innate joy.”
The 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon is scheduled to take place on 1 March 2025, with two events: the 21 km and the 5 km.
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The 21 km event will start and finish at the ECOWAS Commission in Asokoro, while the 5 km event will start at the Eagles Square and finish at the ECOWAS Commission.
