L-R: Deji Ogeyingbo, Country Manager, Making of Champions (MoC); Ibe Etea, General Manager, Internal Audit & Forensic Services, MTN Nigeria; Elder Paul Bassey, Commissioner of Sports, Akwa Ibom State; Prof. Ubong Essien Umoh, Commissioner of Education, Akwa Ibom state; Emmamoke Ogoro, General Manager, Brand and Communication, MTN Nigeria and Callima Inino, Regional General Manager, Operations – East, MTN Nigeria at the MTN Champs Season 3 Grand Final opening held at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Tuesday, May 9, 2025.The MTN Champs Season 3 grand final kicked off with a grand opening ceremony at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, paying homage to the culture and athleticism of the state. Running from May 6 to May 9, the event brings together 2,187 athletes from 5,807 event entries, all converging in Akwa Ibom for what promises to be a landmark finale.
The opening ceremony was attended by key leaders in the sports and education industry including the commissioners for sports and education in Akwa Ibom state, representatives from the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), Making of Champions (MoC) officials and MTN executives.
Delivering the opening address, Ibe Etea, General Manager, Internal Audit & Forensic Services of MTN Nigeria said: “We began this journey with a clear vision to discover, develop, and celebrate the next generation of Nigerian athletic champions. In Benin, we had over 2,000 athletes participate, with passion, discipline, and determination. In Lagos, we saw national records broken, with over 2,500 athletes and 155 schools registering for the event, the highest since the inception of MTN Champs.
Now, we are here in Uyo, the heartbeat of Akwa Ibom, a city known for its hospitality and rising sporting culture. With a total of 2,400 registered athletes from 418 schools pre-vetting, the event will no doubt showcase exceptional talents across Akwa Ibom and the broader South-South region. The stakes are higher, the lights are brighter, and the talent on display is nothing short of world-class. At MTN, we believe in giving young Nigerians the platform to shine, not just on local fields, but on global stages. MTN Champs is more than a competition; it’s a movement. A pipeline. A promise.”
Rounding off, Etea encouraged all the athletes to view themselves as champions in spite of final results.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony honoured Elder Paul Bassey, Commissioner for Sports, and Prof. Ubong Essien Umoh, Commissioner for Education. Representing the Executive Governor of the state, Pastor Umo Eno, Bassey delivered the keynote address, expressing the state’s pride in hosting the competition: “The governor has asked me to say that it’s a delight that we’re hosting this competition here in Akwa Ibom state. He’s asked me to appreciate MTN for what they have done by raising champions, and to acknowledge the fact that this is the way to go.
In Akwa Ibom state, sports occupies a prominent place in the Arise agenda. In the sports ministry, we have been given a mandate to go to the grassroots and schools to develop and nurture talents, and when he [the governor] heard that this the cardinal objective of the MTN and the partners working with them, he felt obliged for us to come, and that is why we’re here.
We’re grateful for what MTN has done, through corporate citizens. We pray that others will emulate the MTN example, because the government cannot do it alone. We need sponsors and partners to develop our youth. That is why we’re here, quite pleased that we are hosts of the MTN Champs season 3. If we have our way, with due respect, we would have made an application for all the seasons to be held here, but we know that might not be possible because we still have to go round this country, a country that has abundant talent all over.
We have depleted champions in track and field. That is why this competition is dear to our hearts. In the next 5 or 6 years, we will be able to say that, in Uyo, in 2025, that young athlete was discovered. That will be our pride.” He urged competing athletes to embrace the sprint of sportsmanship and visitors to enjoy the beautiful splendour and hospitality of the state.
The vibrant ceremony featured a band march by the Nigerian Police Band, a traditional dance display by a local cultural troupe, and a colourful march-past led by Team MVP, joined by local schools and Team MTN, a squad of top athletes from Seasons 1 and 2 now enrolled in the MoC Academy. Notably, Team MTN recently clinched its first trophy, the Junior Team trophy, at the Lagos Continental Relays.
As the competition unfolds, 10 new athletes will earn induction into the MoC Academy, continuing the MTN Champs legacy of uncovering and nurturing Nigeria’s brightest athletic prospects.