MTN CHAMPS Season 4 begins with focus on 2028 Olympics

MTN Nigeria on Wednesday launched Season 4 of MTN CHAMPS in Lagos, outlining a three-year development plan aimed at preparing young athletes for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The new season comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s performance at the last Olympic Games in Paris, where the country failed to win a medal. Organisers said the renewed focus on structured athlete development is designed to address gaps in preparation and long-term planning.

At the launch held at the MTN Rooftop, 10 athletes discovered during Season 3 were unveiled as recipients of “Golden Tickets” into the Making of Champions (MoC) Athletics Academy. The athletes — Victory Aganya, Emmanuel Akolo, Michael Aniche, Rebecca Enilolobo, Chidimma Esomonu, Abdulfatah Oduwole, Nneoma Okonkwo, Mighty Otunola, Destiny Reuben and Kehinde Seriki — now join 20 others recruited in previous seasons.

Their induction brings the academy’s roster to 30 athletes, its largest intake since inception.

MTN also announced a three-year extension of its partnership with MoC, securing Seasons 4, 5 and 6 through the 2028 Olympic cycle. The agreement provides continuity for athletes across cadet, youth, junior and senior categories as they prepare for international competitions, including the World U20 Championships and continental meets.

Speaking at the event, Yahaya Ibrahim, Chief Technical Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the programme 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 will begin this month to coincide with the inter-house sports calendar in secondary schools. The competition will feature three regional qualifiers before a grand finale.

From Calabar to Ibadan

According to the schedule released, the MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics will be held in Calabar from 5–7 March. The Continental Relays will follow in Jos from 26–28 March, while the Grand Finale is scheduled for Ibadan from 15–18 April.

MoC said the Calabar and Jos meets could support Nigeria’s preparations for the 2026 World Relays, with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) considering the events as part of qualification planning.

Tonobok Okowa, President of the AFN, said the federation would continue to provide technical backing.

“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 expanded access for student-athletes.

“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.”

Historic move

MoC Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bambo Akani, described the three-year deal as critical for Olympic planning.

“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.

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“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, positioning it as one of the country’s largest secondary school athletics competitions. Organisers say Season 4 marks the start of a more deliberate Olympic pathway as Nigeria seeks to return to the podium in 2028.