Co-sponsor for the 3rd ECOBank National Schools Team Chess championship, Schoolmate, has explained why it decided to identify with the event.

The 2026 edition of ECOBank National Schools Team Chess championship, which has a whooping sum of N20million for the participants, will begin on May 7, at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Speaking with The Guardian during the week, Schoolmate’s Head of Marketing, Ambesh Kumar, said his organisation decided to key into the championship because it stood for what they believed in.

“We are concerned about quality education for children and we find this tournament as a veritable way of furthering that cause, hence our involvement,” he said.

Speaking further, Kumar explained that last year, Schoolmate company distributed exercise books to all the participants.

“This is the first time we are coming in as co-sponsor. We are happy to be with ECOBank in the championships. Schoolmate has been operating in Nigeria for some years now, and we see this Chess championship as a way of giving back to the society,” Kumar stated.

The Vice President of the Nigerian Chess Federation, Adeyinka Adewale, said the tournament is limited to Primary school pupils and secondary school students.

According to him, winners in the primary schools category will take home N2 million while the champions in the secondary schools category will be rewarded with N2.5 million.

“In all, N20 million has been set aside as prize money,” he said.

Head of Educational and Social Services of Ecobank, Kunle Adewoyi, said that the bank was particular about chess sponsorship because it helps in the development of the kids.

“Ecobank is very particular about human capital development and this championship aligns very strongly with our strategic initiative for people’s development,” he said.

He continues: “Chess is a very tasking sport. Mentally, it develops your IQ, the way you think it also develops your strategic positioning and we at ECOBank find this a very convenient way to prepare these kids for leadership roles. We will continue in this partnership for a long time to come. We will be willing to bring out the best in these children to become Grand Masters in the nearest future.”

Adewoyi also hinted that exceptional players in the competition may be offered the opportunity to do internship at the bank to further develop their thinking capacity and gain mastery in banking procedures.