Access Bank Lagos City Marathon 2026: Prize Money, Performance & The Economics of Road Racing
Photo: Lagos City Marathon (2023)
The 11th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has reinforced Lagos' position as one of Africa's most commercially competitive road races.
With $50,000 awarded to each winner, the elite 42km race once again attracted East Africa's deepest marathon talent pool - delivering not just fast times, but a clear indication of the growing economics of long-distance running across the continent.
2026 Elite Podium & Prize Money Breakdown
Men's Elite
1st — Ezra Kipchumba Kering (Kenya) — $50,000
2nd — Samuel Lomoi (Uganda) — $20,000
3rd — Namutala Lumbasi (Uganda) — $15,000
Women's Elite
1st — Meseret Dinke (Ethiopia) — $50,000
2nd — Cheyech Daniel (Kenya) — $20,000
3rd — Zewdalem Getaw (Ethiopia) — $15,000
Total prize money awarded to elite participants was $250,000. The combined payout across the top three men's and women's finishers was $170,000, while total domestic prize money for Nigerian athletes was ₦10.9M.
The Economics
The Lagos Marathon has evolved well beyond a participation-driven mass race. The first marathon took place in Lagos in 1983 and was revived in 2016 with that edition ranked as the 2nd best marathon in Africa by All Athletics, behind the Cape Town Marathon. The event is backed by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and World Athletics (formerly the International Association of Athletics Federations, IAAF).
In 2016, Access Bank partnered with the Lagos State Government to host and rebrand the event as the "Access Bank Lagos City Marathon," with the aim of supporting sports development across the country and encouraging active, healthy living. The Lagos Marathon now operates within a defined commercial framework, with over 20 sponsors supporting the race — including Access Bank, one of Nigeria's largest commercial banks, as title sponsor; global apparel and footwear brand PUMA; automobile company KIA, Pepsi's 7Up, Unilever, World Athletics, Aquafina, Eko Atlantic City, and investment service firm, Meristem Securities Limited, among others.
The 2026 Gold Label edition drew approximately 20,000 registered participants from 14 countries, with athletes able to choose between the full 42km marathon or a 10km race, according to the Lagos State Marathon organisers.
Photo: Lagos City Marathon (2016)
Since 2021, participation in road races worldwide has been growing, with major city marathons recording record finisher numbers, younger runners entering the sport at higher rates, and running clubs emerging as a popular social community.
Lagos Marathon continues to position itself as a premium African road racing destination. Its prize purse remains among the most competitive on the continent, East African dominance persists at the elite level, and marathon economics are becoming an increasingly relevant component of city-level sports strategy.
Elite road racing in Africa is no longer just about participation numbers - it is about commercial scale, sponsorship capital, global athlete pipelines, and city branding power. Nigerian athletes are increasingly spotlighted through dedicated national prize categories, and prize structures are now central to long-term sports investment positioning.
As African cities compete for global visibility, sponsorship capital, and tourism impact, the marathon format has emerged as a scalable sports asset class - one that blends mass participation with elite performance and international broadcast value.
See the complete BOSA prize money dashboard for a full category breakdown of elite and Nigerian prize money distributions for the 2026 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.
2026 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon — Prize Money
| Position | Amount |
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| Position | Amount |
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* To see “Elite" and "Nigerian” prize money, switch the dashboard on the top right. Source: Access Bank
For more on the financial stakes, see Business of Sports Africa's prize money breakdown of AFCON 2025 here
