The peaceful, hilly town of Okpekpe in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State is set to welcome the world as the 11th edition of the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race takes center stage on Saturday, May 30, 2026.

With World Athletics boldly declaring on its website that the next global road race is the Okpekpe event, international attention has shifted to Nigeria for what promises to be a landmark occasion.

Organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing, the Okpekpe race is the only gold label road race scheduled worldwide on that day, making it a unique focal point for athletes, fans, and stakeholders across the globe. It is one of 41 gold label races confirmed for 2026 and the first in West Africa to earn a label rating from World Athletics back in 2015.

Race Director Zak Amodu expressed confidence in the preparations, noting that ‘all arrangements have been concluded for another hitch-free event that will continue to showcase the organizational ability of Nigerians. Moving from bronze in 2015 to gold today is a huge pass mark from World Athletics, and we don’t take it lightly.’

The event will be flagged off by Governor Monday Okphebolo of Edo State, with support from Tonobok Okowa, President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North. The race will be broadcast live on AIT and M4STV, ensuring millions of viewers worldwide witness the spectacle.

This year’s race will feature some of the sport’s brightest stars. Ethiopian teenager Lemi Teshome, just 19 years old, headlines the men’s field.

Teshome is currently ranked the 11th fastest man over the 10km distance in the world this year, after clocking a blistering 27:17 in Lille, France last month. He will be joined by Kenyan star Fridah Ndinda, who leads the women’s international lineup.

On the Nigerian front, fans will be treated to a thrilling battle. Defending men’s champion James Musa is back to protect his crown, while 2023 winner Ismael Sadjo is also confirmed.

In the women’s category, Patience Daylop Mwavwang is chasing a historic hat-trick of wins after her victories in 2023 and 2024, while multiple champion Deborah Pam Badung is looking to reclaim the title she last won in 2019.

The race also boasts impressive records: Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo holds the men’s course record at 28:28, while Kazakhstan’s Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui owns the women’s record at 32:38.

Beyond the competition, the Okpekpe race continues to deliver wider benefits. Hosting a world-class event in a rural community has brought infrastructure upgrades, boosted local businesses, and inspired young athletes across Nigeria.

The hills and greenery of Okpekpe will once again serve as the backdrop for a race that blends sporting excellence with community pride.

On May 30, the town will stand as a beacon of Nigeria’s ability to deliver events that meet the highest international standards.

On the Nigerian front, fans will be treated to a thrilling battle. Defending men’s champion James Musa is back to protect his crown, while 2023 winner Ismael Sadjo is also confirmed.

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has all the ingredients to compete with the best championships in the world, but it needs to be open to the best teams to win, Group Managing Director of Afrinvest West Africa Limited, Ike Chioke, has said.

Chioke was one of the fans at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos, on Sunday when Enugu Rangers defeated Ikorodu City to win the 2025/26 NPFL title. But he was not pleased with the officiating.

The Enugu Rangers supporter, whose firm is the Flying Antelopes main supporter, said that Nigeria has more than a thousand firms capable of keying into the league if only the managers could make it pleasant to the non-partisan fan.

He said, “You could see this game this evening. Our boys played their hearts out, but you could see that the refereeing wasn’t totally balanced. We need to bring it to the standards of international football.

“It is that ability to bring transparency and discipline to the game that will allow more corporate sponsorship to come in. Afrinvest is a small company relative to all the large blue-chip companies that exist today.

“I mean, if you look at the Nigerian exchange with the valuation of over N150 trillion today, there are many companies whose names should be on many teams; we have over 20 teams in NPFL.

“Going into the next season, you know, the Dangotes of this world, the banks and the cement companies should really be sponsoring football in Nigeria.

“For a country with the kind of youth unemployment we have… more than 70 per cent of our population are under age 25… football can be a mechanism to take people out of poverty, to create employment in merchandising, in football management, in training, in organisation and in the media, among others.

“So that’s why I hope the NPFL will take that charge and allow more transparency and more discipline in the way they do things.”

He said that he will be excited if Afrinvest is allowed to partner with the NPFL at that level, “and hopefully elevate the game even further within Nigeria.”

Chioke congratulated Enugu Rangers for winning their ninth Nigerian league title, adding that the team have had an incredible journey this season.

He said: “We at Afrinvest are particularly proud to be associated with Rangers, and I’ve seen them carry the cup twice in three years.

“That says a lot for when finance meets football at its point of need and brings that discipline, that governance, that institutional capacity to support the team and elevate these young men to a platform where they can begin to see themselves on the global stage and go beyond Nigerian football.”

Chioke was particularly thrilled that two of Enugu Rangers’ players are in the national team preparing for the Unity Cup, which begins today in London. He said, “That shows you the quality of what we have brought to Rangers. We are very proud of what the boys have achieved, and we are super excited that this partnership will continue and take them to higher grounds.”