The Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Grassroots Sports Development, Mr. Adebanji Adeoye Atewogboye, on Saturday, September 12, 2026, flagged off the 5th Cycling Lagos at the National Stadium, Surulere, as Agbo Francis emerged champion of the prestigious race for the second consecutive year.
The 2026 edition commenced with a 3.6-kilometre kick-off ride led by Atewogboye. The fun ride started from the National Stadium, proceeded to Alaka Bridge, and returned to the National Stadium gate.
Speaking at the event, Atewogboye reaffirmed the commitment of the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu administration to sports development, healthy living and youth engagement across Lagos State.
He noted that the Cycling Lagos brand has evolved into a flagship initiative for promoting fitness, community bonding and tourism, in line with the THEMES+ Agenda of the Sanwo-Olu administration.
“Today, we are not just riding bicycles. We are riding for health, for unity, and for the future of sports in Lagos. The Sanwo-Olu Administration will continue to invest in and support initiatives that take sports to the grassroots and make Lagos the sports capital of Africa,” he stated.
He added that the Sanwo-Olu administration remains committed to creating more opportunities for Lagosians to participate in sports while positioning the state as a hub for safe, inclusive and sustainable sporting events.
Speaking earlier, President/CEO, Cycling Africa Limited and Convener, Cycling Lagos, Bamidele Adeleye, expressed his appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for creating an enabling environment for sports development in Lagos State.
He also thanked the Governor’s aide for his continued support and encouragement for the Cycling Lagos initiative over the years.
“Celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Cycling Lagos event is a great milestone, which could only have been achieved through the commitment of the government, its agencies, brand sponsors, cyclists and other stakeholders. We are very proud of how far we have come. This is just the beginning,” he said.
Adeleye congratulated all the winners and expressed appreciation to the sponsors and partners for their continued belief in and support for the Cycling Lagos project.
In the male professional category, Agbo Francis of Lagos State, who placed second in 2024 and emerged champion in 2025, successfully defended his title to win gold for the second consecutive year.
Agbo and other professionals completed the approximately 80.31-kilometre race, which started at the National Stadium, Surulere, and took cyclists along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road before returning to the Stadium.
Daniel Sunday, also from Lagos State, won the silver medal, while promising young athlete Faruq Animasaun, also of Lagos State, claimed the bronze medal.
The female professional category did not hold this year due to the low number of cyclists who registered online ahead of the event.
Young cyclists also had their moment in the spotlight, with participants competing across the Under-15 and Under-10 categories.
In the Under-15 male category, Adesoga Temitope of Oyo State won gold, Azeez Mohammed, also of Oyo State, took silver, while Popoola Emmanuel of Lagos State claimed bronze.
In the Under-15 female category, Oyo State athletes dominated the podium. Azeez Hazanat, who won gold in 2025, successfully defended her title to retain the championship. Aminu Olamide also retained her title for the second consecutive year, while Azeez Aminu won the bronze medal.
In the Under-10 male category, Abubakar Miyeed of Lagos State won gold, while Amao Malik of Ogun State took silver. Adesoga Oluwatoku of Oyo State finished third with the bronze medal.
The Under-10 female category saw Zainab Olarewaju of Lagos State win gold, while Adeleke Shindara and Farida Abasi, both from Oyo State, won silver and bronze respectively.
The event attracted professional cyclists, corporate organisations, children, cycling enthusiasts and residents, further reinforcing Cycling Lagos as a platform for healthy living, social impact, youth engagement and sports tourism.
The 2026 Cycling Lagos activities commenced with a webinar held on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The webinar, themed “Trash to Treasure: Unlocking Recycling Capacity for a Sustainable Future,” brought together industry experts and stakeholders to examine practical ways of expanding recycling capacity, strengthening the circular economy and addressing Nigeria’s growing waste management challenges.
The 2026 edition was sponsored by Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Aquafina, a brand of Seven-Up Bottling Company (SBC). It was also supported by AIICO Multishield Limited, Checkers Custard, Golden Penny Foods, Stanbic IBTC, Adron Homes, Leadway Holdings, Tolaram Wellness, Mountains Energy Solution, BrandEscort, among others.
The annual Cycling Lagos is organised by Cycling Africa Limited in collaboration with the Lagos State Cycling Association.
The event brings together cycling enthusiasts from different parts of the country and is designed to promote healthy living, cycling culture, environmental sustainability and youth engagement through cycling.
