400 Student-athletes to Compete for School Bus, Honours at Pan-African Games

No fewer than 400 student-athletes will compete for honours at the second Pan African School Games, with a brand-new school bus sponsored by Mikano Changan Motors among the prizes.
The three-day competition, scheduled for Friday to Sunday at James Hope College, Lagos, will feature young athletes from schools across Nigeria.
The organisers said that the Games would feature athletics, swimming and football across the Under-11, Under-13 and Under-15 categories.
Athletics and swimming will each feature 30 events, while participating schools will compete for honours in football.
Seun Akinbohun, one of the founders, said the initiative aimed to combine sporting excellence with education, career development and cultural exchange.
“Our vision is to create a platform where young athletes can develop their sporting talents while gaining access to educational and career opportunities,” he said.
Akinbohun said the Games would enable promising athletes to showcase their abilities before scouts, agents and educational institutions.
He added that the exposure could open doors to international scholarships and other academic opportunities.
Busola Tejumola, a co-founder, said the organisers remained committed to expanding participation while maintaining high standards in competition and athlete welfare.
“Our goal is to attract more schools and athletes while ensuring that every participant has a rewarding experience,” he said.
Tejumola said the inaugural edition, hosted by British International School, Lagos, attracted 11 schools and more than 300 student-athletes.
He expressed optimism that the 2026 edition would record increased participation while maintaining high standards in event management, logistics and technical delivery.
Aderoju Ope-Ajayi, also a co-founder, said the competition’s name change from Africa School Games to Pan-African School Games reflected its broader continental ambition.
“We want to build an African-owned platform that brings young people together through sports, education and cultural exchange,” she said.
Ope-Ajayi said the new identity reinforced the organisers’ commitment to helping young athletes compete, build friendships and access opportunities shaping their sporting and academic futures.
“Our long-term vision is to establish the Games as a recognised pathway for emerging African talent while using sports to promote education, friendship and unity across the continent,” she said.
She described the Games as an evolving ecosystem connecting schools, coaches, parents, scouts and educational institutions beyond sporting competition.
Ope-Ajayi said partnerships with organisations such as Plumptre Advisory were linking talented athletes to reputable international institutions.
She identified McCallie School in the United States, alongside Bethany School, Buckswood School and Roedean School in the United Kingdom, as institutions offering opportunities.
She said the school bus sponsored by Mikano Changan Motors was one of the major attractions for participating schools.
“The school bus is one of the major prizes for this year’s competition. We believe it will add excitement to the Games and provide practical value to the winning school,” she said.
Ope-Ajayi said the 2026 edition had attracted support from Prime Atlantic, Zenith Bank, Mikano Changan, UAC Foods, Nigerian Exchange, 33 Productions, What Media, Kantar, Logic City and Flutterwave.
She added that the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Sports Commission were also supporting the event.
The organisers acknowledged challenges associated with staging a major multi-sport competition, including funding, logistics, transportation, technical officiating, safeguarding and medical support.
They said lessons from the inaugural edition had strengthened planning, improved logistics, enhanced athlete welfare and raised technical standards.
The Pan-African School Games is also preparing for continental expansion, with schools from Kenya and Ghana expected to participate in the 2027 edition.
The organisers said the planned expansion reflected their ambition to establish the competition as a continental platform for emerging African sporting talent.
They added that the long-term objective was to use sports to promote education, cultural exchange, friendship and unity across Africa.