By Daphne Uduneje
Corporate Nigeria is increasingly finding value in platforms that combine sports, wellness, sustainability and consumer engagement, with Aquafina, Golden Penny Foods, Adron Homes and other leading brands throwing their weight behind the fifth edition of Cycling Lagos scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026.
Aquafina, the premium bottled water brand from the stable of Seven-Up Bottling Company (SBC), is among the latest corporate partners to announce support for the event, which will hold at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The company’s participation will go beyond brand visibility, with Aquafina providing hydration support for cyclists and other participants at strategic locations along the route, in addition to financial support towards staging the event.
The partnership reflects the increasing interest of consumer-facing brands in experiential platforms that enable direct engagement with consumers while advancing conversations around healthy living, active lifestyles and environmental responsibility.
Marketing Manager, Energy and Hydration, Seven-Up Bottling Company, Omokehinde Thomas, said the brand would establish hydration points at the starting and finishing locations, as well as along designated sections of the cycling route, including the Coastal Road.
Participants will have access to Aquafina water throughout the event, providing critical hydration support as cyclists navigate the various routes across Lagos.
The fifth edition of Cycling Lagos has also attracted support from other major corporate organisations, including Adron Homes, Golden Penny Foods, Checkers Custard, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and AIICO Multishield, underscoring the expanding commercial appeal of the event as a platform for sports, lifestyle and sustainability engagement.
For the organisers, the expanding list of corporate partners signals a broader shift in how businesses are beginning to view cycling—not merely as a recreational activity, but as a platform capable of advancing multiple social, environmental and economic objectives.
President and Chief Executive Officer of Cycling Africa Limited, Bamidele Adeleye, said the increasing participation of leading brands demonstrates the private sector’s recognition of cycling as a powerful vehicle for promoting wellness, sustainable transportation, environmental responsibility and meaningful consumer engagement.
“Seven-Up Bottling Company was part of this great initiative when we started in 2018, and we are particularly grateful to have the company back as a partner for the fifth edition,” Adeleye said.
He expressed appreciation to SBC, Adron Homes, Golden Penny Foods and other corporate partners for supporting the initiative and contributing to its growth over the years.
According to him, the event has evolved into a broader advocacy platform connecting sports with issues ranging from public health and road safety to environmental sustainability and youth development.
Adeleye also pointed to the success of the fifth Cycling Lagos Webinar held on Thursday, September 3, 2026, where experts examined practical approaches to waste management and the expansion of recycling capacity in Lagos and Nigeria.
“We are very excited about the success of the 5th Cycling Lagos Webinar, where experts came together to provide inspiring and practical solutions to waste management and the expansion of recycling capacity in Lagos and Nigeria at large,” he said.
The 2026 edition is themed “Trash to Treasure: Unlocking Recycling Capacity for a Sustainable Future,” reflecting an effort by the organisers to position the annual event within Nigeria’s broader sustainability and circular economy conversation.
The theme draws attention to the economic potential embedded in waste and the opportunities available in recycling, particularly at a time when governments, businesses and communities are under increasing pressure to develop more sustainable consumption and waste management systems.
Organised annually by Cycling Africa Limited in collaboration with the Lagos State Cycling Association, Cycling Lagos has evolved into one of the major cycling and lifestyle events on the Lagos sporting calendar.
Adeleye said the fifth edition represents an important milestone for the initiative, which continues to promote cycling, healthy living, road safety, environmental sustainability and youth participation in sports.
He added that the organisers were working with relevant stakeholders and support agencies to ensure a safe and seamless experience, particularly in areas of traffic management, security, medical support and overall event coordination.
The grand finale will feature several activities, including the Children’s Race, Celebrity Race and competitive cycling events, with participants expected to ride through designated routes across Lagos before returning to the National Stadium, Surulere.
Beyond the sporting spectacle, the event is expected to attract cycling clubs, sports enthusiasts, families and participants from different parts of Lagos and Nigeria, further deepening awareness about cycling as a healthy, environmentally friendly and sustainable mode of transportation.
As Lagos continues to grapple with the twin challenges of traffic congestion, environmental pressures and changing lifestyle patterns, events such as Cycling Lagos are increasingly providing a meeting point for corporate brands, government agencies, environmental advocates and citizens to explore alternative approaches to mobility and sustainable living.
For corporate partners, the platform also presents an opportunity to align their brands with issues that increasingly resonate with younger and health-conscious consumers, including wellness, sustainability, environmental responsibility and community participation.
With the support of Aquafina, Golden Penny Foods, Adron Homes and other corporate organisations, the fifth edition of Cycling Lagos appears set to further consolidate its position as more than a sporting event, emerging instead as a platform at the intersection of business, lifestyle, sustainability and urban mobility.