Nuhu: Why Nigerian runners prioritize the ECOWAS Marathon over other races

Nigeria elite marathon runners most of them members of the Jos-based High-Altitude Athletics Club have revealed their priority for the year 2025- competing and winning the top ten positions at the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.

Their decision is based on the lucrativeness of the race, especially the 21 km and the organizers’ prompt payment of prize money.

Speaking to the media shortly before the Christmas break, Steve Nuhu the director of High-Altitude Athletics Club and manager of most of the elite marathoners in Nigeria told correspondents that they have all agreed to prioritize the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.

‘We all left Pankshin where we normally train a few days ago to spend Christmas and New Year with our families, by the special grace we will regroup the first week of the new year, and our focus for the new year is the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.

‘We arrive at this conclusion because we have a very good chance of winning about eight of the top ten positions in the ECOWAS race because it is a half marathon. For example, if our club produce the winners of the men’s and women’s races that is $10,000.00 each which comes to about N40 million in today’s exchange rate we can’t get that kind of money elsewhere.

‘Even if we place fourth or fifth in the ECOWAS Marathon, it is more rewarding financially than what we will get when we win a full marathon elsewhere, we are grateful to ECOWAS because their race is empowering us and lifting us out of poverty,’ said Nuhu.

Nuhu also praised the organizer for the prompt payment of prize money and the general organization of the race.

‘We also thank the management of ECOWAS Marathon for paying our prize money immediately after the race, we have never experienced a delay in the payment of prize money, it is always a great experience and exciting moment for our runners and we look forward to the 2025 edition with innate joy.’

The 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon is slated for March 1, 2025. There are two races, the 21 km and the 5 km. The 21 km will start and finish at the ECOWAS Commission, Asokoro and the 5 km race will start at the Eagles Square and also finish at the ECOWAS Commission.