The Organisers of Lagos City Marathon, Nilayo Sports Management, will sign a multi-billion naira contract deals that would see the birth of the Abuja City International Marathon.
This comes days after the successful hosting of the recently concluded 8th Lagos City Marathon, one of only 2 Gold Label races in Africa.
Nilayo Sports Managing Director, Chief Bukola Olopade, will sign the deal in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
The Marathon, which is a full 42 kilometres, has been approved by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, AIMS the Federal Capital Territory, and the Ministry of Sports, Youths and Social development.
Meanwhile, organisers have fixed October 7, 2023, for the inaugural edition of the marathon as the Nilayo Sports Management Limited boss, Olopade, targets a second gold-label status full marathon race in Nigeria.
However, the main sponsor of the race would also be unveiled in an elaborate ceremony, where the prize money, the class of runners, the route, and other world-class incentives will be announced for the Abuja City International Marathon.
Olopade said, “It would be most delightful to have one full marathon each in Nigeria’s financial capital and the nation’s capital. By the time, the Abuja City International Marathon attains the Gold Label Marathon status, Nigeria would have become one of the very few countries in the world, with two Gold-Label races, in one country. This is a rare attribute in road running in the world. This would tremendously boost the status of Nigeria, and that is what we have been talking about.”
