FirstBank has announced a N34m prize purse for the 65th edition of the Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship, reaffirming its commitment to sports development and the promotion of golf in Nigeria.
The week-long tournament, scheduled to hold from November 16 to 22, was unveiled at a press conference at Ikoyi Club 1938, Lagos, on Tuesday, marking 65 consecutive years of partnership between the financial institution and the championship.
The professional winner will receive the top prize of N10m, while other competing professionals will share the remaining prize money.
Speaking at the event, Group Executive, Commercial Banking South, Nnaemeka Ejeh, who represented the bank's Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, said the sustained sponsorship reflected FirstBank's long-standing investment in sporting development and talent discovery.
He noted that the bank's involvement in the championship went beyond financial sponsorship, describing it as a long-term investment in nurturing emerging golfers and strengthening the sport in the country.
“In the game of golf, success is never accidental. It is earned through discipline, patience, strategic thinking, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, values that equally define FirstBank. For over six decades, FirstBank has proudly remained the biggest promoter of golf in Nigeria.
“We see it as a legacy investment where we nurture talent and grow them up. We look long-term, not short-term,” he said.
The tournament will feature several activities, beginning on November 16 with the arrival of participants and the presentation of entertainment trophies.
The programme will continue on November 18 with the club anniversary kitty, which is expected to attract golfers from different parts of the country.
A major highlight of the championship's social responsibility programme will be the charity golf tournament scheduled for November 19. Corporate organisations will register teams to raise funds for selected charitable causes, with FirstBank pledging to match the proceeds generated before donating the combined funds to designated charity homes.
The professional competition will tee off on November 20, with golfers from across the country expected to compete for the various prizes. The championship will conclude on November 21 and 22 with the cut and final rounds, alongside golf clinics designed for children and adults.
The charity initiative remains an important feature of the annual competition, building on previous interventions, including donations to institutions such as Pacelli School for the Blind.
Chairman of Ikoyi Club 1938, Akinwumi Akintola, commended FirstBank for sustaining its partnership with the club and supporting the championship for more than six decades.
He said the milestone represented a remarkable record of consistency, institutional collaboration and investment in sporting excellence.
“65 years is no small achievement. It represents much more than the longevity of a sporting competition; it is a remarkable story of consistency, commitment, institutional partnership, and sustained investment in sporting excellence. At Ikoyi Club 1938, our philosophy is captured in our motto: Global harmony through recreation,” he said.
Also speaking, Group Chief Executive Officer of Aravo Consulting, Ayo Adegboye, praised the enduring relationship between FirstBank and its corporate partners, describing their continued participation as a deliberate effort to sustain the championship.
“Our commitment to the FirstBank Open Championship every year is intentional. We’ve been doing this for the last three years. FirstBank has stood the test of time, being around for over a century, so why do we need to reinvent the wheel?” he said.
Golf Captain of Ikoyi Club 1938, Afolabi Balogun, also applauded the bank and other sponsors for maintaining the standard of the competition over the years.
“We particularly appreciate your determination to sustain this legacy and raise the bar with every edition of the championship. We also recognise and appreciate the invaluable contribution of your partners and sponsors who have continued to support this worthy initiative,” he said.
Defending professional champion, Monday Ese, who claimed the N10m winner's prize at last year's competition, expressed gratitude to FirstBank, noting that the championship had played an important role in his development as a professional golfer.
Recalling his early participation in the competition as an amateur, Ese said his first appearance ended with a fifth-place finish, an experience that motivated him to improve his performance.
“It has been an amazing run from FirstBank because I remember when I started this tournament as an amateur. My first appearance was fifth place. I saw the gift they gave me, and I said to myself that I could do better.
“Then I turned pro, and FirstBank changed the story that every pro who wins it will go home with N10m. We were shocked that day, and it was a very big boost,” he said.
The 65th edition is expected to bring together professional and amateur golfers, corporate organisations and other stakeholders, further reinforcing the championship's position as one of Nigeria's enduring sporting competitions.