Ilorin-based footballer Abdulrahman Fareed has emerged champion of the 1V1 Africa Grand Finale, defeating a field of 32 players to claim the ₦5 million top prize in Lagos.

Fareed won the competition on Saturday at Meadowhall in Lekki after progressing through the knockout rounds of the individual football tournament.

The Grand Finale attracted more than 10,000 applications from across Nigeria, according to the organisers, with 32 players eventually selected to compete.

Fareed impressed throughout the competition with his technical ability, ball retention and composure, eventually overcoming Ikhane Emmanuel Adedeji in the closing stage of the tournament to secure the championship.

Adedeji finished second and received ₦2.5 million, while Tobi Bright took third place and ₦1 million.

Bagudu Mamman Abdullahi completed the top four and received ₦500,000.

The organisers said all 32 finalists were guaranteed at least ₦100,000, with prize money increasing as players progressed through the competition.

Goalkeepers were also recognised, with Latin Hassan and Jude Ibe receiving ₦150,000 each for their performances during the tournament.

Founded by Nigerian music star and entrepreneur Mr Eazi, 1V1 Africa was launched earlier in 2026 as a platform for identifying individual football talent through a competitive one-on-one format.

The first Lagos edition was held in March at Astro Soccer, Ikoyi, with the organisers reporting that it attracted 55,000 entries from across Africa.

Kosisochukwu Pascal Maduka emerged champion of that edition and received ₦10 million.

The competition subsequently expanded to Ghana in May, where Myres Manuel Odonkor Junior became the country’s first 1V1 Africa champion following the tournament at AIS Astro Turf in East Legon, Accra.

Saturday’s Grand Finale brought the competition back to Lagos, with players selected from more than 10,000 applicants competing for the latest title.

Football content creator Mobike, who has been involved in the competition’s operations since its first edition, coordinated the finalists during the Lagos event.

Reacting to Fareed’s victory, Mr Eazi said the performance demonstrated the quality of football talent that could be discovered through the competition.

“Abdulrahman Fareed is a champion and I want all of Nigeria to know his name,” he said.

“This young man travelled from Ilorin, stepped onto this pitch, and outplayed every single person in front of him, and that is the entire point of what we are building with 1V1 Africa.

“From Lagos to Accra to this Grand Finale, we have demonstrated that the talent on this continent is not just real, it is elite. All it has ever needed is the right stage.”

Mr Eazi also indicated that the competition would continue beyond the Grand Finale, with further editions planned.

“To every one of the 10,000 people who applied, we see you, we value you, and we are absolutely not done. The next chapter of 1V1 Africa is coming and it will be bigger than everything that came before it,” he said.

Organisers said further details about the next edition of the 1V1 Africa Football Challenge would be announced subsequently.

For Fareed, the Lagos victory provides both a ₦5 million prize and national exposure through a competition seeking to identify football talent outside conventional club and academy structures.