Sports
Lagos National Stadium Tracks Installation Commences
…Facility to be Ready before End of 2022
Joel Ajayi
The Federal Government’s bid to restore the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos to its old glory has received a major boost with the commencement of the installation of the tartan tracks last week.
A top official of Kyle Next, one of the contractors handling the rehabilitation of the edifice confirmed the laying of the tracks has commenced and could be completed in four weeks with the newly installed facility in place.
Track technical specialist Joseph Ayinla of Ideal Sports, a sports facilities installation and management company, revealed that the tracks will be laid in stages.
“The first stage that we commenced last week is the Elastic layer(E-layer)stage which will be followed with the Sealant stage to make the tracks impermeable to water and other fluids. The third stage will be the coating stage.
“After all these have been done, a certified World Athletics tracks marker will then do the markings. There will be a 9 lane running track and the strip for jumps, which is for long and triple jumps,” disclosed Ayinla, who was part of the team that laid the last tracks at the stadium in 1998, twenty four years ago and has been involved in the laying of such facilities in some other top class arena in Nigeria and beyond.
Already, there has been the installation of a digital scoreboard and a revamping of the football pitch of the stadium by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development through the Public-Private Partnership(PPP) arrangement and the Adopt a Pitch initiative put in place by the Sports Minister Sunday Dare.
On the rehabilitation of the terraces, the Minister confirmed that progress is being made in sourcing the funds needed for the project.
He said, “Our Adopt a Pitch arrangement with Premier Lotto for the Lagos National Stadium covers the pitch, tracks and scoreboard and that is on course. We are also making progress in sourcing the funds to fix the terraces.”
Only last week, work began on the regrassing of the pitch of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium(formerly called Liberty Stadium)in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The other highpoint of the sport infrastructure development drive of the Federal Government in the last three years has been the restoration of the playing turf of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja after many years of neglect.
Sports
PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon Splashes Big Prize Money Ahead Of 14 November 2026 Race
Top Three Elite Finishers To Earn $8,000, $6,000 And $5,000 Respectively
The organisers of the highly anticipated PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon have announced an attractive prize package for athletes across every category ahead of the race on 14 November 2026 in Abuja.
The prize announcement has been welcomed by athletes and coaches, as the event continues to establish itself as one of the leading road races in Nigeria. The race offers local athletes the chance to compete against international runners in front of a home crowd, while also earning meaningful rewards.
In the elite category, first place earns $8,000, second place takes $6,000, third place gets $5,000, fourth place receives $4,000, fifth place goes home with $3,000, sixth place earns $2,000, seventh place takes $1,000, and eighth place gets $500.
In the Nigerian category, first place earns ₦2,000,000, second place takes ₦1,500,000, third place gets ₦1,000,000, fourth place receives ₦500,000, fifth place goes home with ₦300,000, sixth place earns ₦200,000, seventh place takes ₦100,000, and eighth place gets ₦50,000.
According to the organisers, the prize structure reflects the commitment of PremiumTrust Bank to the growth of athletics in Nigeria and to the encouragement of home based athletes. The separate Nigerian category ensures that local runners are properly recognised and rewarded for their performance.
The half marathon, which covers 21 kilometres, remains an important event for long distance runners. It serves as a test of endurance and preparation, and it provides a competitive platform for athletes building towards major national and international competitions.
The race is expected to draw elite athletes, club runners, corporate teams, fitness enthusiasts and supporters from across Nigeria and beyond. The turnout is expected to be high, given the interest already shown since registration opened.
Organisers have advised interested runners to register early through the official registration portal of the race to secure their participation, as arrangements are being put in place for timing, security, medical support and traffic management on race day.
The prize money is now confirmed, attention will shift to the athletes as they complete their final weeks of training and preparations ahead of the race day.
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