TEN new exceptional young athletes have joined the prestigious Making of Champions (MoC) Athletics Academy. They were unveiled and inducted at the launch of the Season 4 of MTN CHAMPS, where MTN Nigeria reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Nigeria’s grassroots athletics ecosystem by signing a three-year extension with Making of Champions (MoC) for the continued sponsorship of MTN CHAMPS.

The Season 4 of the competition will kick off in Calabar with the MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics between March 5 and 7, 2026, followed by the continental relays in Jos between March 26 and 28 and grand finale in Ibadan from April 15 to 18.

While confirming the sponsorship, MTN’ Chief Technical Officer, Yaya Ibrahim, said the landmark multi-year agreement confirms that MTN CHAMPS Seasons 4, 5 and 6 are now secured through 2028.
The sponsorship will provide athletes nationwide across all age groups, from Cadet and Youth to Junior and Senior, with a structured three-year runway to support long-term preparation toward the 2028 Olympic Games, the 2026 and 2028 World U20 Championships, and other continental and global competitions.

Also, the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer (CRCO), MTN Nigeria, Obiageli Ugboma, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to youth empowerment. “MTN CHAMPS Season 4 reflects our commitment to discovering and nurturing the next generation of Nigerian sports stars. We are breaking barriers and bringing the opportunity closer to home for thousands of aspiring champions. At MTN, we are proud to play a role in shaping the future of Nigerian athletics, because investing in young talent today secures the victories of tomorrow,” she stated.

MoC Founder and CEO, Bambo Akani, described the renewal as transformational: “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.