The announcement was made at the official press conference of the tournament held on 16 March 2026 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

ChessMasters is an annual chess tournament designed to equip the next generation with critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills.

The competition targets children in primary school aged between 6 and 11 years old.

Organised by Eko Hotels and Suites and KEY Academy , ChessMasters was created to provide thousands of children across Nigeria with opportunities to develop modern educational skills, bringing schools together on a national stage.

Speaking at the press conference, Olayinka Ijabiyi, Acting Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications at FirstBank, said, “Our sponsorship of ChessMasters 2026 reflects our commitment to building talents and communities, driving inclusion, and deepening engagement through our First@Sports initiative, a platform that celebrates talent and promotes social impact through sports. With over a century of supporting legacy sports in Nigeria, we are proud of our enduring partnerships  – 105 years with the Georgian Cup, 65 years with the Lagos Amateur Golf Championship and 35 years with the Dala Hard Court Tennis Championship.”

Ijabiyi further highlighted how the sponsorship aligns with FirstBank’s sustainability pillars of Education, Health, and Welfare.

“We recognise the potential of chess to help school-age children challenge themselves, think critically, and compete at the highest level, hence we see the tournament as a launch pad for a pan-African movement leveraging chess as a tool for education, empowerment, and leadership development. We are utilising this platform as another avenue to promote social impact and drive positive change in the community.”

Caline Chagoury Moudabar, Director and Co- Founder of ChessMasters and her partner, Damilola Okonkwo of Key Academy, expressed appreciation for FirstBank’s support, noting that the partnership will help scale the impact of ChessMasters and inspire more schools to participate.

“We are happy to welcome FirstBank on board. This collaboration will boost chess development in Nigeria and promote critical thinking among young minds. With support from partners like FirstBank, we are opening the doors of participation to more children and more schools in this year’s edition.”

Prince Adeyinka Adewole, Vice President of the Nigeria Chess Federation, commended the initiative, emphasising its role in nurturing future chess talents.

“Chess connects people, ideas, and opportunities. It teaches children to be analytical, patient, and manage their time and resources effectively. Chess also improves concentration and has been particularly beneficial for children with autism,” he said.

The second edition of ChessMasters will be held on Saturday, 2 May 2026 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

The competition is open to 150 schools across Lagos, with over 700 students expected to participate and vie for a total prize pool of N10 million.

FirstBank’s involvement in the 2026 edition of the tournament reinforces the potential of ChessMasters to become a launch pad for African children, leveraging chess as a tool for education, empowerment, and leadership development.

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Office of Sustainable Development Goals, OSDG, on Thursday, launched Lagos Sustainability Summit — a yearly multidisciplinary forum designed to advance strategies and create actionable pathways to build a more equitable, inclusive and prosperous Lagos.

The summit, coming up in the second week of September at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, is being organised in collaboration with Lagos State Safety Commission, LSSC, and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA.

The event with the theme: “Building a Resilient and Sustainable Lagos”, will host a diverse range of stakeholders, including governmental bodies, private sector leaders, civil society organisations, and international partners, to share ideas, generate fresh insights and collaborate on innovative solutions to address critical sustainability challenges.

The summit is expected to chart a course for Lagos to emerge as a model for sustainable urban development anchored on social equity, economic prosperity and environmental stewardship.

Addressing journalists at a pre-event conference held Thursday, at Radisson Hotel in Ikeja, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sustainable Development Goals, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, said the summit would bring fresh impetus to the state government’s drive to strategically reposition Lagos towards advancing its vision of becoming a resilient and sustainable city.

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Through the initiative, she said the Office of the Sustainable Development Goals would be championing ethical business practices that must have positive social impact, stressing that any effort aimed at achieving economic growth in the state must go hand in hand with moral and social responsibilities.

Finnih said the Lagos Sustainability Summit would serve as a call to action and a roadmap guiding the State Government’s efforts to forge a prosperous, equitable and environmentally sustainable city where citizens would have the opportunity to succeed.

She said: “As we stand at the forefront of a transformative journey, Lagos is launching a Sustainability Summit that stands as a testament to our collective resolve. The summit will focus on key areas that will demonstrate the Government’s commitment to sustainability, showcasing strategic initiatives and policies that reflect our dedication to sustainable development. Through the event, we will be fostering social cohesion by ensuring equitable participation of communities in sustainability efforts.

“We will be promoting ethical business practices that will enable positive social impacts, fair labour standards and community engagement initiatives that drive positive social impacts. The summit will enhance sustainable finance, while encouraging investments in projects that support the SDGs and integrate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria into financial decision-making. We seek to build resilient networks that support responsible waste management and local sourcing. and ethical labor practices.”

Finnih said human communities, more than ever, stood at crossroads, given the shift in global dynamics, impacts of climate change and technological advancement. This, she pointed out, had been making cities devising innovative ways to make their communities thrive in emerging competitive environments.

The Special Adviser said Lagos was faced with the choice to rise to the occasion in order not to be overwhelmed by global changes, creating a platform for innovation, adaptation and actions.

“The summit is not just about dialogues but about taking decisive actions that will shape the future of our city. This effort is not just for us, but for the children who will inherit this city and who will look to us, not just as leaders, but as guardians of their future. We would be worthy of their trust if we build a Lagos that is resilient, sustainable and above all, a city that is filled with hope,” Finnih said.

LASEPA General Manager, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, said the initiative was not only intended to enhance sustainable business practices, but also to champion protection of the environment for the wellbeing of the city’s inhabitants.

Ajayi said the future generations would be proud of the efforts being taken by the state government to bequeath a sustainable city to them.

LSSC Director General, Mr. Lanre Mojola, said part of the state’s urbanisation vision was to build a city with robust occupational safety and health standards, noting that the summit would be a major step towards making Lagos a safe city.

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