FirstBank of Nigeria and the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation have launched a nationwide Under-16 Secondary Schools Football Championship aimed at discovering young football talents across the country.
The initiative is designed as a grassroots competition involving secondary schools from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The tournament was officially unveiled in April 2026 as part of a partnership between FirstBank and the Okwaraji Foundation to promote youth development through sports.
The competition is structured to run through state, zonal and national stages, with winners from each state advancing to zonal playoffs before reaching the national finals in Abuja.
Organisers confirmed that the state-level matches began across Nigeria in late June 2026.
The state phase of the championship is scheduled to run until Sunday, July 5, 2026, when state champions will emerge to qualify for the zonal stage.
The zonal playoffs will follow immediately after the completion of the state competitions, leading up to the national finals.
The competition is named in honour of late Nigerian footballer Samuel Okwaraji, who died on August 12, 1989, during a World Cup qualifying match against Angola in Lagos.
The tournament is being coordinated to preserve his legacy while strengthening structured school sports development across Nigeria.
Senator Osita Izunaso, who heads the tournament steering committee, said the initiative was created to expand access to grassroots football opportunities for secondary school students nationwide.
He said:
“Football is the strongest unifier of Nigerians.”
“It brings communities together, inspires discipline, and nurtures talents across the country.”
FirstBank said its involvement in the championship reflects its commitment to youth empowerment and national development through sports.
Olusegun Alebiosu, Executive Officer of FirstBank, said the bank’s support for the initiative aligns with its long-standing investment in sports development.
“Football is the strongest unifier of Nigerians. “It brings communities together, inspires discipline, and nurtures talents across the country.”
The championship is expected to become an annual event, creating pathways for young players to be scouted and developed into professional football careers while strengthening school sports culture across Nigeria.