Schools battle for N20m prize at Ecobank National Schools’ Teams Chess Championship

Over 2,500 chess players from primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions across different states in Nigeria will compete for a share of the N20 million prize money at the 2025 Ecobank National Schools’ Team Chess Championship.

The prestigious event will run from June 26 to 28 at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Organised in collaboration with the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), the championship aims to promote chess within Nigerian schools.

The tournament schedule has primary school pupils competing on June 26, secondary school students on June 27, and tertiary institution participants taking to the boards on June 28.

Speaking at a pre-tournament press briefing, Adebukola Ademuluyi, Ecobank’s Head of Education, Faith and Social Services, described the championship as “an ambitious, inclusive and transformative event aimed at producing Nigeria’s future Grandmasters.”

Vice President of the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), Adewale Adeyinka, revealed that the number of participating institutions has nearly doubled since last year, with students competing in five-player teams, an upgrade from last year’s four-player format.

“In 2024, we had over 1,200 students from 240 schools. This year, we expect over 2,500 students from 450 institutions nationwide,” Adeyinka stated.

He noted that 90 medals will be awarded across the various categories, along with certificates of participation for every player.

Co-sponsor MTN, represented by Onyinye Okeke, Head of Marketing Services, reaffirmed the telco’s support for the championship, stating that their involvement aligns with the company’s philosophy.

“This tournament is very dear to us at MTN because it is about youth empowerment, which aligns with our philosophy.”