Nigeria’s biggest Schools’ Athletics Championships, MTN CHAMPS, is set to return for its third consecutive year, with MTN continuing as the Title Sponsor for Season 3 in 2025.
The inaugural edition, held from October to November 2023 across four cities—Benin, Uyo, Ibadan, and Abuja – brought together over 7,000 athletes and nearly 500 schools, competing in three age categories: Cadet (U-14), Youth (U-17), and Junior (U-20).
Season 2 was bigger and better, heralding changes and innovations, including the introduction of a fourth age category, the Senior level (no age restrictions) to cater to adults in school, university, clubs, states, national or unattached athletes, thus providing a platform for Olympic qualification for elite athletes for the Paris 2024 Games.
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The first leg of Season 2 held in Asaba, served as the National Trials for the African Games in Accra, Ghana.
Other cities for Season 2 were Ibadan, Jos and Calabar for the Grand Final.
Season 3 will take place in three cities: Benin ( 13-15 March), Lagos (9-12 April), and the Grand Final in Uyo (30 April- 3 May).
Innovation
For the first time ever, all the competitions before the Grand Final will be held at two simultaneous locations, with MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics in Benin taking over both the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and UNIBEN Sports Complex simultaneously.
On the other hand, MTN CHAMPS Continental Relays will bring the championship to Lagos for the first time and will take over both Yaba Tech Sports Complex and UNILAG Sports Complex respectively.
The Grand Final will hold at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
MoC is once again partnering with Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF) as the Official Schools’ Partner of MTN CHAMPS, to ensure the widespread access and participation of schools and their students across the host cities of CHAMPS.
In addition, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) will continue as the official Technical Partner of CHAMPS to ensure that all races are electronically timed and all results are ratified for global recognition by World Athletics.
MTN CHAMPS Season 3 across three locations is expected to draw 7000 athletes from 500 schools and teams.
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