MTN Nigeria has unveiled the sum of ₦20 million in prize money for schools as the 2026 edition of MTN Champs kicked off in Calabar, marking the championship’s 4th edition.
Speaking on the issue in an interactive session with newsmen Wednesday in Calabar, the company’s chief marketing officer, Ikenna Emeka, announced that the top four schools at this year’s championship will receive ₦2 million, ₦1.5 million, ₦1 million and ₦500,000 respectively.
“The funds are intended to strengthen school sports programmes and encourage broader participation in athletics,” Emeka said.
Its a first-of-its-kind initiative, MTN also introduced a special attendance award aimed at rewarding schools that turn out in large numbers to support their athletes.
The top five schools in that category will receive ₦5 million, ₦3 million, ₦2 million, ₦1.5 million and ₦1 million respectively, while schools placed sixth to 10th will receive ₦500,000 each.
According to MOC representative Yemi Galadima, more than 1,000 athletes from 121 schools and teams are competing in Calabar across four age categories — Under-14, Under-17, Under-20 and Senior featuring nearly 100 track and field events.
“The championship has become a major pathway for national selection, revealing that about 80 per cent of Nigeria’s team to last year’s African Under-20 Championships had competed at MTN Champs,” Galadima said.
Pastor Emmanuel Ebong, representing the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), commended MTN and MOC for maintaining discipline among student-athletes and tackling age cheating in school sports.
“We are confident that athletes discovered through MTN Champs will represent the country with distinction,” he maintained.
