Indian Language School has emerged winner of the FirstBank sponsored ChessMasters 2026 tournament, claiming the top prize of N5 million from a total prize pool of N10 million at the highly competitive youth chess event held in Lagos.
The tournament, organised by Eko Hotels and Suites in partnership with KEY Academy, featured more than 750 pupils from different schools across Lagos, making it one of the largest school chess competitions in the region.
Despite winning all six of its games, Indian Language School was declared champion through tie break rules after a closely contested final stage of the competition.
Jareb Private School also recorded six wins from six games but finished in second place following tie break calculations, while Dupeolu Childrenland School secured third place with five wins and one loss.
Speaking on the sponsorship, FirstBank Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications Olayinka Ijabiyi said the bank remains committed to developing young talent and supporting educational and sports based initiatives.
He explained that the sponsorship reflects the bank’s broader First@Sports initiative, which is aimed at promoting inclusion, talent development, and social impact through sporting activities.
Ijabiyi added that FirstBank has a long history of supporting sports in Nigeria, including partnerships spanning over a century in various traditional sporting events across the country.
He also highlighted chess as an important tool for developing critical thinking, discipline, and strategic decision making among school children, noting its growing role in education and youth empowerment.
According to him, the tournament is designed to serve as a platform for nurturing future leaders and building a pan African chess development movement that supports education through competitive play.
The Vice President of the Nigeria Chess Federation, Prince Adeyinka Adewole, praised the initiative, describing it as a strong foundation for discovering and developing future chess champions in the country.
He noted that chess helps young learners improve concentration, patience, and analytical thinking ss, while also offering additional benefits for children with special learning needs.
Organisers say the success of ChessMasters 2026 demonstrates increasing interest in chess among school pupils and reinforces the importance of investing in intellectual sports development at grassroots level.
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