Parallex Bank Gifts Team Lagos Young Champions ₦1m Each

Ten of Team Lagos' brightest young athletes have received a major reward for their outstanding performances at the 2025 National Youth Games, as Parallex Bank presented each of them with ₦1 million after Lagos emerged overall champions for the first time in the history of the competition.

The cash rewards were presented at a ceremony held at the bank's Lagos headquarters, where athletes, parents, officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) and Parallex Bank executives gathered to celebrate the historic achievement.

The beneficiaries are gymnast Stephanie Onusiriuka; swimmers Dumuje Aidan, Ibidapo Tofunmi, Hafsat Kazeem, Mariam Mohammed, Megbodofo Teminijesu and Timilehin Olaiya; cyclist Ashiru Ibrahim; hard-of-hearing athlete Fabowale Akorede; and tennis player Emmanuel Bright. Their medal-winning performances powered Lagos to its maiden National Youth Games title.

Presenting the awards, Parallex Bank Managing Director and CEO, Olufemi Bakre, described the gesture as an investment in the future of Nigeria's next generation of sporting stars.

"We are celebrating excellence, hard work and determination. This is more than a reward; it is an investment in the future of these young champions and a reminder that excellence will always be recognised," Bakre said.

Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, praised the partnership as a shining example of how the private sector can support youth development through sports. He noted that Lagos' historic victory reflected the state's deliberate investment in grassroots sports and talent development under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Speaking on behalf of the parents, Mrs. Timilehin Olaiya thanked Parallex Bank and the Lagos State Sports Commission, saying the recognition has inspired the young athletes to aim even higher.

The initiative underscores the growing collaboration between the public and private sectors in developing future sporting champions and strengthening Lagos' reputation as Nigeria's leading hub for youth sports development.