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. 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 (March 13th to 15th), Lagos (April 9th to 12th), and the Grand Final in Uyo (April 30th to May 3rd). 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, while 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. Also, the Roster Athletics app, which was used for Seasons 1 & 2 to generate all Athlete results and School/Team scoring, will again be deployed for Season 3 to decide the Titles in each city.
The ultimate goal of MTN CHAMPS is to re-ignite grassroots athletics talent searches across Nigeria to discover athletes who will be trained and developed to deliver global medals and become future sporting legends for the nation. Winners from Season 3 will have the opportunity to join the MoC Athletics Academy in Lagos, with MTN as the lead sponsor, to enable the best talents discovered to earn college scholarships at home and abroad for a chance to one day represent Nigeria at future global competitions!
MTN CHAMPS Season 3 across three locations is expected to draw 7000 athletes from 500 schools and teams. Online registration for Season 3 has now opened across all three locations at mtnchamps.com – Is your School/Team the best in Athletics in your city? There’s only one way to find out! To enter, a recognized official of your School or Team, e.g. Principal, Games Master, PE Teacher, Athletics Coach or Captain must register your Schools’ Entries before the registration deadline for each venue.
MTN CHAMPS Season 3 Events, Locations & Dates
MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics, Benin: March 13th to 15th 2025 (Registration deadline: Friday, March 7th): Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium & UNIBEN Sports Complex
MTN CHAMPS Continental Relays, Lagos: April 9th to 12th 2025 (Registration deadline: Wednesday April 2nd): Yaba Tech Sports Complex & UNILAG Sports Complex
MTN CHAMPS Grand Final, Uyo: April 30th to May 3rd 2025 (Registration deadline: Wednesday April 23rd): Godswill Akpabio Stadium
Age Groups by Year of Birth for Season 3 (2025)
Cadet (U14) – Born in 2012 or later AND must be in Junior Secondary School (JS 1-3)
Youth (U17) – Born in 2009 or later AND in Senior Secondary School (SS 1-3), OR they can also be JSS Students of the same school who are born between 2008 & 2010
Junior (U20) – Born in 2006 or later (can be in school, university, other team or unattached)
Senior – no age restrictions
Cadet (U14) – 12 Events (5 individual & 1 relay each for Boys & Girls):
• 4 Track events – 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m
• 2 Field events – Long Jump, High Jump
Youth (U17) – 20 Events (9 individual & 1 relay each for Boys & Girls):
• 5 Track events – 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 4x100m
• 5 Field events – Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, Discus
Juniors (U20) – 30 Events (13 individual & 1 relay each for Men & Women and 2 Mixed Relays: 4x100m & 4x400m*):
• 10 Track events – 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 100/110m Hurdles, 400mH,
4x100m & 4x400m (for Men and Women), Mixed 4x400m & 4x100m* (2 Men & 2 Women on same team)
• 6 Field events – Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, Discus, Javelin
Seniors – 32 Events (13 individual & 2 relays each for Men & Women and 2 Mixed Relays: 4x100m & 4x400m*):
• 11 Track events – 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 100m/110m Hurdles, 400mH,
4x100m & 4x400m (for Men & Women), Mixed 4x400m & 4x100m* (2 Men & 2 Women per team)
• 6 Field events – Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, Discus, Javelin Throw
*Mixed 4x100m for both Juniors & Seniors is being added for the MTN CHAMPS Continental Relays only
After the registration deadline for each city, MTN CHAMPS will announce the final Entry List of Schools & Athletes prior to each Event, and all Schools, Teams and/or Athletes must reconfirm their participation by collecting their competition bibs no later than 1-2 days prior at each venue. Entries in the Senior Category will only be accepted from established Athletes with World Athletics profiles who meet the standards that will be set in the Senior Category at each event.
Do email [email protected] for any enquiries and we look forward to the widespread participation of Secondary School, Junior and Senior Athletes in all 3 cities for MTN CHAMPS Season 3 as we provide a platform the nation’s biggest national athletics talent search in history!
Kind regards,
Bambo Akani
Founder/CEO, Making of Champions Ltd.
