Atlantic Hall has defeated British International School Lagos (BIS) to win the 2025 ALTECS U-17 Secondary School Football Competition.
Atlantic Hall defeated BIS on a lone goal to emerge champion for the 2025 edition of the 11-aside tournament designed to promote youth talent, education, and sporting excellence.
This year’s tournament, which held at Greensprings School, Lekki, Lagos, was sponsored by All Things Education Consultants (ALTECS) UK.
The one-day tournament, described by organisers as a fusion of education, opportunity and sports development, brought together eight schools, including Dowen College, British International School (BIS), Corona School, Atlantic Hall, International School Lagos, Caleb School, and others.
Speaking with The Guardian, ALTECS UK representative Johnson Agogo said the initiative was created to help African students access academic and sporting opportunities in Britain and elsewhere.
“Our priority is education, but we added sports to identify talented students and possibly create international pathways for them,” Agogo said. “This is our first sports edition, and by the next one we’ll have more sponsors and UK partners supporting a bigger and better programme.”
Agogo said that ALTECS is committed to using sports as a bridge for educational advancement.
The event’s Sports Coordinator, Coach Joseph Duruihuoma, said the competition is strictly for students below 17.
“We host tournaments yearly and termly, but this is the first consultant-driven one. “ALTECS has done exceptionally well. Coaches trust our platform, and many of these students already dream of studying in the UK and beyond. ALTECS is opening that door.”
Despite the excitement on the pitch, Agogo insisted that academics remain the heart of the initiative.
“We don’t encourage any student to abandon school. What we promote is combining education with sports so they can pursue both in the UK and around the globe,” he said.
Former national swimming athlete and sports administrator, Wemimo Raje, applauded the organisers for linking sports and academics.
“This is grassroots development. Some of these students will get scholarships. Sports is no longer for dropouts, education and sports must go together, and ALTECS understands that synergy,” she said.
She criticised Nigeria’s over-concentration on football while neglecting other sports, but noted that private initiatives like this signal a new direction for youth development.
Speaking also, one of the standout players, 14-year-old Eli Nwachukwu of British International School, said he hopes the competition opens professional doors.
“I’d love to play professional football. “If a UK scholarship comes through ALTECS, it would be a great opportunity.”
Organisers affirmed that the next edition will expand to include more schools, sponsors, and UK-based academies.
With grassroots sports struggling for support nationwide, ALTECS UK’s intervention has opened a new channel where Nigerian students can chase academic excellence while nurturing athletic dreams.
