First Bank of Nigeria Backs Okwaraji U-16 Championship, Targets Youth Development Through School Sports

First Bank of Nigeria Backs Okwaraji U-16 Championship, Targets Youth Development Through School Sports

Lagos, March 31, 2026 – First Bank of Nigeria has announced its sponsorship of the maiden edition of the Samuel Okwaraji Under-16 Football Championship, a nationwide schools’ competition aimed at promoting youth development and education through sports.

The tournament, organised in honour of late Nigerian football icon Samuel Okwaraji, will feature participation from secondary schools across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Structured in two phases, the competition will begin with zonal qualifiers across the six geopolitical zones, before culminating in a national final in Abuja, where 12 teams will compete for top honours. Organisers say the championship will also include cultural showcases, memorial lectures and talent identification opportunities involving national team coaches.

Speaking on the initiative, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Olusegun Alebiosu, described football as a unifying force capable of shaping young lives and strengthening communities.

“Football remains one of the strongest unifiers in Nigeria. It promotes discipline, inspires excellence and provides a platform for young talents to thrive. Through this sponsorship, we are making a strategic investment in grassroots football to help discover and nurture the next generation of stars,” he said.

Chairman of the Championship Organising Committee, Osita Izunaso, commended the bank’s commitment, noting that corporate support is critical to youth development and nation-building.

“FirstBank has once again demonstrated leadership by supporting an initiative that combines education and sports development. We hope this will encourage other organisations to contribute to creating opportunities for young Nigerians,” he said.

The sponsorship is part of FirstBank’s broader sports development drive under its First@Sports initiative, through which the bank has maintained a long-standing presence in Nigerian sports.

The bank owns and sponsors the Elephant Boys Football Team, which competes in the Nigerian National League, as well as the FirstBank Basketball Club, popularly known as the “Elephant Girls.” It has also supported major sporting events, including the National Sports Festival, South-West Youth Games, Dala Hard Court Tennis Championship, Lagos Amateur Golf Open Championship and the Georgian Polo Cup.

The Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Championship is expected to serve as a platform for identifying young talents, promoting education through sports and fostering national unity, while preserving the legacy of one of Nigeria’s most revered football figures.