MTN Champs Season 4 storms Plateau, boosts youth athletics

MTN has reaffirmed its commitment to youth development and grassroots sports as MTN Champs Season 4 begins in Jos, drawing participation from thousands of student-athletes across Plateau state.

Ibe Etea, chief Internal Audit and Forensic Services Officer MTN who made this known at a press conference on Wednesday, said the event, which is in its fourth edition, is designed to discover emerging talents, promote education through sports, and prepare young athletes for future national and international competitions.

“We have had previous instalments of the MTN Champs event here, and we are truly grateful for the opportunity to return. We sincerely thank the government representatives and the good people of this great city for hosting us once again,” Etea said.

“This is the fourth instalment of the event. We have already held successful meets in Lagos and Calabar, and now we are here in Jos before moving to the grand finale in Ibadan.

“Now, what are we doing differently this time? We have introduced new rewards to further encourage excellence. For the schools competing in athletics, the prizes are as follows: First place: N2 million;

Second place: N1.5 million; Third place, N1million, and Fourth place: N500,000,” he added.

Etea explained that MTN Champs has recorded significant growth, with about 20,000 athletes and over 1,500 schools participating nationwide, while 30 outstanding athletes have progressed into the MTN Champs Athletics Academy.

He noted that participants have achieved notable success, including winning 14 medals in national competitions and representing Nigeria in the men’s 4x400m relay team.

Also speaking, Ezra Gunen, commended MTN for sustaining the initiative and returning to Jos to continue talent discovery and development.

Gunen urged young athletes to combine sports with education, stressing that sporting careers are short and require academic support for long-term success.

He further highlighted Plateau State’s advantage in athletics due to its altitude and called for stronger collaboration to harness talents for global competitions.

BusinessDay reports that the MTN Champs competition will continue its nationwide tour, with participants expected to compete for prizes and recognition ahead of the grand finale in Ibadan.

The press conference was attended by representatives of the Plateau State Commissioners for Education and that of Sports.