World News Update

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...

As preparations intensify for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon 2026, organisers have released the official race schedule and cut-off policy, offering clarity to thousands of runners counting down to race day. The announcement comes as part of the marathon’s final countdown, reinforcing transparency, fairness, and world-class race standards ahead of Africa’s biggest road race. *Race Schedule* The 42km marathon will flag off at 6:30am and officially close at 12:00pm, giving runners a total race duration of six hours. The 10km race will start at 9:30am and also close at 12:00pm. Organisers clarified that all registered runners are free to run at their own pace within the official race window.  However, the cut-off time applies strictly to medal qualification, not participation. *Medal Eligibility* Only runners who complete the full race on or before the official cut-off time will receive an official Access Bank Lagos City Marathon finisher’s medal. To maintain fairness and integrit...

NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT PRESS RELEASE Team Nigeria cyclists will train in Manchester for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. This is one of the fallouts from a meeting between the National Sports Commission, Cycling Federation of Nigeria and British Cycling Association on Tuesday.  The British Cycling Association delegation led by Commercial Strategy Manager Izza Ourzik was on a collaborative visit to Nigeria. The three-pronged collaboration focused on supporting the development of cycling in Nigeria; ensuring a culture of winning fairly in both the Olympics and Paralympics, as well as impacting on the society through sports and cycling.  Furthermore, an agreement was reached for the Team Nigeria cycling contingent to prepare in Manchester ahead of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.  Responding, an elated National Sports Commission Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko assured the delegation of the Commission's support towards the actualization of t...