On Monday, April 13, we attended the unveiling of the MTN CHAMPS Season 4 Grand Final in Ibadan, marking the final stop of a season that began in Calabar and continued through Jos. Our Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications, Oluchi Ubazue, represented us at the press conference with government officials, sports administrators, MTN executives, and the Making of Champions team.
Our sponsorship goes beyond brand visibility. It is about creating opportunities and supporting the future of Nigerian sports. MTN CHAMPS has revealed the depth of talent across Calabar, Jos, and now Ibadan. By participating, we help build a system that enables this talent to grow and succeed.
We use the word ‘system’ intentionally. We aim to support structures that help young athletes persevere. This partnership aligns perfectly with our commitment to building effective solutions.
Our support is tangible. We have sponsored two athletes, Destiny and Rebecca, who delivered strong, consistent performances throughout the season. Their dedication shows the importance of platforms like this and the need for organizations to support emerging talent.
We appreciate Making of Champions, MTN, and the other sponsors for their ongoing commitment to youth development. We are genuinely excited about the future for these athletes.
The Grand Final will be the largest in the competition’s history, with over 3,200 athletes from 375 schools and teams competing in Ibadan at the Lekan Salami Stadium and the University of Ibadan Sports Complex. This is Ibadan’s third time hosting MTN CHAMPS and its first time hosting the Grand Final. MoC Founder and CEO Bambo Akani noted that this milestone places the city among the top three for registration numbers across all four seasons.
Akani thanked us for our role in providing athlete scholarships and acknowledged MTN’s efforts in expanding the event nationally. MTN’s Idowu Adesokan highlighted the identification of 30 athletes as early evidence that this platform could produce future Olympic champions.
Enoch Adegoke, MTN CHAMPS Ibadan Ambassador and Olympic finalist, stated that Ibadan would exceed the achievements seen in Calabar and Jos. Five-time Olympian Mary Onyali emphasized that talent alone is not sufficient; athletes also require funding, media exposure, and robust support systems to succeed.
Our journey from Calabar to Jos to Ibadan represents more than sponsorship. It shows the impact of committed partnerships in building infrastructure, whether for power or supporting young athletes as they pursue their futures.
The 20 Most Valuable Performers from the Calabar and Jos stages will now compete against the best in Ibadan. The Grand Final offers the highest stakes in the competition’s four-year history, and we will continue to support every step of the way.
Our team visited the Achievers Ghana Learning Center in Accra on Thursday, April 17th, 2025, as part of our ongoing Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
Strengthening Our Partnership
Since August 2024, we’ve been proud to partner with Achievers Ghana, providing free internet and electricity services to their Learning Centre. This support has enabled the center to extend its operational hours from morning until evening, creating a vibrant learning environment that serves the entire community throughout the day.
Additionally, we’ve sponsored 25 girls, covering their basic educational needs to ensure they can continue their education without financial barriers. We’re pleased to see this support helping to reduce dropout rates and create new opportunities for academic and personal growth.
Mentorship and Empowerment
During our visit, our team members led an engaging mentorship session focused on:
The fundamental importance of education as the foundation for successful careers
Strategic career planning and goal-setting techniques
The significance of gender equality and believing in one’s abilities regardless of societal barriers
Our team shared inspiring success stories about themselves and other women who overcame adversity to achieve remarkable success, demonstrating that with determination, support, and self-confidence, they can achieve their dreams.
The interactive question-and-answer session proved especially valuable, with the girls asking thoughtful questions about their ambitions, uncertainties, and potential obstacles. Our team shared some practical advice while providing guidance, encouraging focus, resilience, and self-confidence.
Our Commitment
Our focus is on uplifting communities by providing sustainable energy solutions and impactful social programs. Our collaboration with Achievers Ghana showcases our commitment to advocating for the rights of women and girls, enhancing educational opportunities, and creating supportive environments where young women can flourish.
We look forward to continuing this important partnership and finding new ways to create opportunities for these brilliant young minds.
Beacon Power Services is excited to collaborate with MTN CHAMPS, the fastest-growing Secondary School Athletics Championship in Nigeria, which will return for Season 3 in 2025!
Since making a significant impact on the Nigerian Track and Field scene in 2023, MTN CHAMPS has been held in seven cities across Nigeria, featuring over 15,000 athletes from 900 schools and teams. Twenty athletes from Seasons 1 and 2 are currently being trained at the MoC Athletics Academy in Lagos, with sponsorship provided by MTN.
Season 3 will take place in three cities: Benin (March 13th to 15th), Lagos (April 9th to 12th), and the Grand Final in Uyo (April 30th to May 3rd). Beacon Power Services (BPS), headquartered in Lagos and dedicated to developing energy software and providing data analytics services for Nigeria’s power sector, has partnered with MoC to award Senior Secondary School Scholarships to two athletes selected from Season 3 of MTN CHAMPS, enabling them to attend the MoC Athletics Academy from 2025 to 2028.
Beacon Power Services awarded a Student-Athlete scholarship to Gracious Ushie of the Making of Champions (MoC) Athletics Academy, covering tuition, gym membership, physiotherapy, transportation, training, and competition travel across Nigeria. This support enabled him to chase his athletic dreams while studying. In 2023, Ushie earned a full Track and Field scholarship to the University of Southern Mississippi, where he is now in his second year.
BPS’s support for Gracious Ushie inspired his younger brothers, Showers, and Prosper, to follow his path. They competed in Seasons 1 and 2 of MTN CHAMPS and were among the 20 MVPs awarded scholarships to the MoC Athletics Academy in Lagos, sponsored by MTN. This marks a full-circle moment for the organization, which has renewed its support for Track and Field development in Nigeria.
Reacting to this development, MoC Founder/CEO Bambo Akani stated, “It’s an honor for us to continue our partnership with Beacon Power Services as one of our main Student-Athlete Scholarship sponsors. They have been with us since the beginning, supporting one of our top athletes, Gracious Ushie, in the previous phase, and now they are returning to further the work they’ve done with Making of Champions. We’re grateful to Beacon Power Services for extending their efforts beyond powering the country and continent to supporting our quest to raise future Olympic and World Champions for Nigeria.”
Abimbola Adisa, CEO of Beacon Power Services, provided insights on our decision to back MTN CHAMPS by sponsoring athletes identified in Season 3 of the competition.
He stated, “This collaboration embodies our fundamental value of growth and development. We see nurturing talent as a responsibility to our community and future. By supporting organizations like MoC, we invest in the youth to forge authentic opportunities that inspire the upcoming generation of leaders.”
MTN CHAMPS is modeled after the Jamaican High School CHAMPS and aims to become the primary platform for identifying and nurturing promising athletes who could represent Nigeria in international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships.
