By Daphne Uduneje
The fifth edition of Cycling Lagos has reinforced the growing place of cycling in Lagos State’s sports and wellness landscape, with professional cyclist Agbo Francis successfully defending his title to emerge champion for the second consecutive year.
Agbo, who finished second in the 2024 edition before claiming the professional men’s crown in 2025, once again demonstrated his competitive strength at the 2026 race, holding off a field of cyclists to retain the gold medal.
The race, held on Saturday, September 12, began at the National Stadium, Surulere, with a 3.6-kilometre kick-off ride led by the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Grassroots Sports Development, Adebanji Adeoye Atewogboye.
The fun ride moved from the National Stadium to Alaka Bridge and back to the Stadium gate, setting the tone for an event that brought together professional cyclists, young athletes, corporate organisations, cycling enthusiasts and residents.
For the organisers and stakeholders, however, the significance of the fifth edition extended beyond the competition.
Cycling Lagos is increasingly positioning cycling as a vehicle for healthier lifestyles, youth development, community engagement and sports tourism, while providing a platform through which businesses can associate with wellness and sustainability.
Speaking at the event, Atewogboye reaffirmed the commitment of the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu administration to grassroots sports development, healthy living and youth engagement across Lagos.
He described Cycling Lagos as a growing platform for fitness, community bonding and tourism, noting that initiatives of this nature support the administration’s broader sports-development objectives.
“Today, we are not just riding bicycles. We are riding for health, for unity, and for the future of sports in Lagos,” he said,
adding that the state government would continue to support initiatives capable of taking sports closer to the grassroots.
According to him, the administration also seeks to create more opportunities for Lagos residents to participate in sports while promoting safe, inclusive and sustainable sporting events.
Agbo retains professional crown
The highlight of the competition was the professional men’s race, in which Agbo emerged ahead of Daniel Sunday, also of Lagos State, who claimed the silver medal.
Faruq Animasaun, another Lagos State cyclist, completed the podium with the bronze medal.
The professional cyclists covered approximately 80.31 kilometres, starting from the National Stadium and taking the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road before returning to the Stadium.
Agbo’s victory marked his second consecutive Cycling Lagos championship, adding another chapter to his growing record in the competition.
The women’s professional category, however, was not held in the 2026 edition following a low number of online registrations.
Youth take centre stage
Beyond the professional race, the organisers placed considerable emphasis on developing the next generation of cyclists, with young competitors participating in the Under-15 and Under-10 categories.
In the Under-15 male category, Adesoga Temitope of Oyo State won gold, while Azeez Mohammed, also from Oyo State, secured silver.
Popoola Emmanuel of Lagos State took bronze.
The Under-15 female category was dominated by cyclists from Oyo State.
Azeez Hazanat successfully defended the title she won in 2025 to retain the gold medal, while Aminu Olamide also retained her championship for a second consecutive year. Azeez Aminu took the bronze medal.
The Under-10 competition provided another platform for younger riders to showcase their potential.
Abubakar Miyeed of Lagos State won the Under-10 male category, followed by Amao Malik of Ogun State with silver and Adesoga Oluwatoku of Oyo State with bronze.
In the Under-10 female category, Zainab Olarewaju of Lagos State emerged winner, while Adeleke Shindara and Farida Abasi, both from Oyo State, won silver and bronze respectively.
From cycling to sustainability
The 2026 Cycling Lagos programme also extended beyond the race itself, with sustainability featuring prominently in the build-up to the event.
Activities began on September 3 with a webinar themed, “Trash to Treasure: Unlocking Recycling Capacity for a Sustainable Future.”
The virtual session brought together industry experts and stakeholders to examine opportunities for expanding recycling capacity, strengthening the circular economy and tackling Nigeria’s waste-management challenges.
The sustainability component added another dimension to the Cycling Lagos platform, linking physical wellness with environmental responsibility.
For an event built around cycling, the connection is significant. Cycling remains closely associated with conversations around cleaner mobility, reduced emissions, healthier communities and more sustainable urban lifestyles.
Brands deepen support
The growing corporate participation in Cycling Lagos has also become an important feature of the initiative.
The 2026 edition was sponsored by Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Aquafina, the water brand of Seven-Up Bottling Company (SBC), while AIICO Multishield Limited, Checkers Custard, Golden Penny Foods, Stanbic IBTC, Adron Homes, Leadway Holdings, Tolaram Wellness, Mountains Energy Solution and BrandEscort, among others, supported the event.
The involvement of brands from banking, consumer goods, healthcare, real estate and other sectors reflects the increasing convergence between sports, wellness, community engagement and corporate social responsibility.
Speaking earlier, President/CEO of Cycling Africa Limited and Convener of Cycling Lagos, Bamidele Adeleye, described the fifth anniversary of the event as a significant milestone.
He attributed the growth of the initiative to the collaboration among government, sponsors, cyclists and other stakeholders.
“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,” Adeleye said.
He thanked the Lagos State Government, participating brands, cyclists and other partners for their continued support, while congratulating the winners across the various categories.
Building a cycling culture
Organised by Cycling Africa Limited in collaboration with the Lagos State Cycling Association, Cycling Lagos has evolved from a cycling competition into a broader platform combining competitive sport, youth development, wellness, environmental awareness and community participation.
Its fifth edition also demonstrated the potential of cycling events to contribute to sports tourism by attracting participants from Lagos and other states, while giving young athletes opportunities to compete on a larger platform.
As cycling continues to gain attention within conversations around healthy living and sustainable urban mobility, the organisers are looking to build on the momentum generated by the fifth edition.
For Agbo, the immediate reward was another championship.
For the organisers and supporting stakeholders, however, the larger objective remains the development of a stronger cycling culture—one capable of connecting sport, wellness, sustainability and youth participation in a rapidly changing urban environment.