A civic organisation, the Athletics and Other Sports Development Initiative, has issued a damning 14-day ultimatum to some of the biggest players in the nation’s sporting and corporate ecosystem, MTN, Making of Champions (MoC), Nilayo Sports Marketing Company, Premium Trust Bank, and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
In a statement released by its Chairman, CEO, and Board of Trustees, Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, the group accused the organisations of openly short-changing athletes who participated and won in various marathon events across the country.
The events in question, according to the group, featured both local talents and international competitors from Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, and Tanzania —many of whom have not been paid their prize money months, and in some cases, years after crossing the finish line.
Calling the situation “criminal and disgraceful,” the NGO said it was “tired of watching athletes being openly robbed while the world looks away.” The group insisted that companies had no right to collect money from sponsors, organise competitions, then vanish when it came time to compensate the athletes who trained and sacrificed for glory.
Citing first-hand accounts and open confessions from affected athletes now in their possession, the NGO painted a picture of institutionalised deceit and corruption.
Athletes, who represented their countries, were left stranded after competitions, with some paid in bits, others not at all.
Some winners from as far back as 2021 and 2022 are still awaiting payment.
The NGO said the situation has gotten so bad that Nigeria is now being described in international athletics circles as a “419 country” — a label that carries the stench of fraud and unreliability.
In its breakdown of the unfolding scandal, the group revealed that MTN sponsored an athletics event in Jos last year, organised by Making of Champions.
Athletes from Plateau, Gombe, and other participating states who won medals are still waiting for their promised prize money.
MoC, according to the statement, also made pledges regarding transportation, feeding, and logistics that were never fulfilled.
While the MTN is believed to have settled MoC financially, the athletes were left in the lurch, with a certain Deji Aliu allegedly playing a role in the failure to pay.
In another disturbing case, the winners of the Abeokuta 10km Marathon, organised by Nilayo Sports Marketing Company under Bukola Olopade, have also not been paid.
Similarly, the Abuja Half Marathon (21km), sponsored by Premium Trust Bank and again coordinated by Nilayo, saw both Nigerian and foreign athletes reportedly leave empty-handed.
Even more damning is the unpaid prize money from the Abuja International Marathon (41km), which hosted elite runners from East Africa. According to the NGO, this incident alone has sparked a wave of condemnation abroad, deepening Nigeria’s reputation as a nation where commitments are routinely dishonoured.
The scandal deepens with the Heritage Half Marathon organised between 2021 and 2022 by the same Nilayo outfit, as athletes who participated in those events have reportedly not been paid either.
The NGO demanded that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria explain how much it received from event organisers, what percentage it was entitled to from each competition, and the specific bank accounts into which the funds were paid.
Gara Gombe insisted that sponsors like MTN and Premium Trust Bank must stop turning a blind eye while event organisers pocket money meant for athletes.
“We will not allow this daylight robbery to continue. These athletes sacrificed their time and energy and deserve to be rewarded. This is what destroys the trust between the corporate world and the sports industry in Nigeria. We are calling them out now, and we are ready to fight this to the very end,” he declared.