World News Update

With just 10 days to the 11th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, attention now turns to one of the most important pre-race activities: race kit collection. All registered runners are expected to collect their race kits from February 9 to February 13, between 9:00am and 5:00pm daily.  The designated collection point is the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. The race kit collection exercise is mandatory for all participants and will ensure athletes are fully prepared for race day, with access to official bibs, timing chips and other essential materials required to compete. As the countdown intensifies, organisers encourage runners to plan ahead, arrive early, and complete the process smoothly ahead of the February 14 race day.

With 11 days left to the 11th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, organisers have confirmed a total prize purse of ₦11 million exclusively for Nigerian runnerscompeting in the 42km marathon race in addition to the general prize package for all runners. The prize structure, which applies to both men and women, underscores the marathon’s growing focus on rewarding local talent and strengthening grassroots and elite long-distance running within Nigeria.  Each gender category will share ₦5.5 million in prize money, spread across the top 10 finishers. Under the breakdown, the first-place Nigerian finisher will earn ₦2 million, while the second and third positions will receive ₦1.5 million and ₦1 million respectively. The fourth-place finisher will go home with ₦500,000, followed by ₦200,000 for fifth place and ₦100,000 for sixth. Athletes finishing between seventh and tenth positions will each receive ₦50,000, ensuring broader reward coverage and competitive depth among Nigerian runners. T...

With 12 days to go to the 11th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, organisers have released details of the $250,000 prize money structure for the elite 42km race. The prize money, which applies to both men and women in the elite category, highlights the marathon’s commitment to rewarding excellence, attracting world-class athletes, and maintaining its World Athletics Gold Label standing. Under the official breakdown, the winner of the 42km elite race will take home $50,000, while the second-place finisher will earn $20,000. The third position is valued at $15,000, with athletes finishing fourth and fifth receiving $12,000 and $10,000 respectively. Further down the field, the sixth-place finisher will earn $8,000, seventh place is rewarded with $6,000, while the eighth-place athlete will receive $4,000, ensuring deep incentives across the elite rankings. The substantial prize purse continues to be a major attraction for elite marathoners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria, and beyond, a...

With just two weeks to go to the 11th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon (ABLCM), excitement continues to build as foremost bottling company, 7Up, confirms its participation in Africa’s biggest road race, adding fresh energy to an already buzzing marathon atmosphere. 7Up’s involvement further strengthens the growing list of giant brands aligning with the marathon, underscoring the event’s stature as a World Athletics Gold Label race and one of the most powerful sports platforms on the continent. The 2026 edition enjoys the support of an impressive lineup of partners, including headline sponsor Access Bank, the Lagos State Government, 7Up, Kia Motors, Power Oil, Brila FM, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Unilever, Eko Atlantic, Aquafina, Salonpas, Joy, Rexona, Easy Tipping, Robb, Greenlife Pharmaceuticals, Morning Fresh, among others. As race day approaches, brands are jostling for association with the marathon, drawn by its proven credibility, massive reach, consistency and unma...

The Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) has strengthened its global sports drive and agenda with a high-level diplomatic engagement as the delegation from British Cycling paid a working visit to the Commission, reinforcing LSSC’s commitment to leveraging sports as an instrument for diplomacy, institutional learning, and sustainable development. The delegation, led by Ms. Amy Gardner, Sport and Participation Director at British Cycling, held discussions with the management of the Commission on areas of collaboration, with emphasis on knowledge exchange and skill transfer aimed at enhancing technical capacity and the cycling culture in Lagos State. Speaking during the visit, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Lekan Fatodu, described the engagement as a deliberate and outcome-focused step in Lagos State’s broader sports development strategy. “Sports has become a powerful tool for diplomacy and development,” Fatodu said. “Our commitment to knowledge exchange an...

With 16 days to go to the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, the race stands tall as a symbol of 11 years of consistency, growth, and continental pride, firmly established as one of Africa’s most anticipated sporting events. Over the past decade, the marathon has evolved into far more than a road race. It has unearthed athletic stars, amplified Africa’s voice on the global marathon stage, and driven significant economic activity across Lagos. From transportation and hospitality to small businesses, the event continues to stimulate the local economy, creating hundreds of direct jobs and thousands of indirect employment opportunities annually. Much of this success is credited to Nilayo Sports Management Ltd., the concept holders and organiser of the race, under the leadership of Mrs Yetunde Olopade. Her vision, consistency, and strategic direction have elevated the marathon to a World Athletics Gold Label race, setting new standards for road racing on the continent. On Saturday, February 1...