Expectations are rising across Ogun State as more than 3,000 runners prepare to take part in the 2026 Abeokuta 10KM Race, with the fifth edition of the annual road race set to hold on Saturday, October 3.

Organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, the race has attracted a strong field of participants ahead of the event, which is expected to bring together athletes, sports administrators, enthusiasts and residents in a celebration of athletics and the cultural identity of Abeokuta.

The race will begin at 7am from Macjob Grammar School, Onikolobo, with runners making their way through parts of the city before finishing at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, Kuto.

The route is expected to offer participants not only a competitive sporting experience but also an opportunity to pass through some of Abeokuta’s notable areas, while spectators line the streets to watch the runners and experience the atmosphere generated by the event.

A major highlight of this year’s competition is its decision to restrict participation to Nigerian athletes. The 2026 edition will therefore be a 100 per cent indigenous Nigerian athletes’ event, with only Nigerians eligible to compete.

The move is expected to provide a platform for home-grown athletes to compete for honours and prize money while showcasing the depth of distance-running talent in the country.

However, the significance of the Abeokuta 10KM Race is expected to extend beyond the sporting contest.

With thousands of runners, officials, spectators and visitors expected in the city, businesses operating along the race route and in surrounding areas are positioned to benefit from increased commercial activity.

Food vendors, transport operators, artisans, hospitality providers and other small-scale businesses are expected to experience increased patronage as the influx of people creates additional demand for goods and services.


For traders and other informal-sector operators, the event could provide an important opportunity to increase sales and visibility, particularly in areas experiencing heightened pedestrian and vehicular movement during the race.

Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality businesses are also expected to receive visitors travelling to Abeokuta for the event, further adding a tourism dimension to the annual competition.

For residents and visitors, the event is expected to be more than a road race, as Abeokuta prepares to combine athletics, culture, tourism and local economic activity on October 3.

The presence of sports administrators, active and retired sportsmen and women, athletics enthusiasts and people from different walks of life is also expected to add colour to the fifth edition.

As the countdown enters its final days, attention is now turning to race-day preparations, athlete participation and the prospect of another vibrant sporting spectacle in Ogun State.