FirstBank sponsors Okwaraji U-16 Championship to boost Youth Football

FirstBank has announced its sponsorship of the maiden Samuel Okwaraji Under-16 Football Championship, a nationwide school-based tournament aimed at promoting grassroots football and education.

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

The tournament will be played in two stages, beginning with zonal qualifiers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, before culminating in a national final in Abuja involving 12 teams. Organisers said the event will also feature cultural displays, memorial lectures and talent scouting sessions by national team coaches.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of First Bank of Nigeria, Olusegun Alebiosu, described football as a powerful unifying force capable of shaping young lives and strengthening communities.

“Football is the strongest unifier of Nigerians. It brings communities together, inspires discipline, and nurtures talents across the country. FirstBank is making a deliberate incursion into grassroots football development with this sponsorship, creating an enabling environment for the next generation of Samuel Okwarajis to discover, refine, and maximise their potential,” he said.

Chairman of the organising committee, Osita Izunaso, commended the bank’s support, noting that corporate involvement is critical to nurturing young talents and advancing education through sports.

“FirstBank’s legacy predates modern Nigerian football. The bank has once again shown that true corporate leadership lies in nation building. We hope other organisations will follow suit in supporting initiatives that help young people thrive through education and sports,” he said.

The sponsorship is part of FirstBank’s First@Sports initiative, under which the lender has sustained long-term investments in sports development across Nigeria. The bank owns the Elephant Boys football team in the Nigerian National League and the FirstBank Basketball Club, popularly known as the Elephant Girls.

Over the years, FirstBank has supported several sporting platforms, including the National Sports Festival, South-West Youth Games, the Dala Hard Court Tennis Championship, Lagos Amateur Golf Open, and the Georgian Polo Cup.

The Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Championship is expected to provide a platform for talent discovery, while promoting discipline, education and national unity among young Nigerians.