By NEWSCOUNT Sports
Cycling Africa has announced its assumption of the management and strategic coordination of Cycling Lagos and Cycling Kano as part of a broader plan to develop cycling into a platform for sports development, tourism, healthy living, environmental sustainability and economic opportunities across African cities.
The President and Chief Executive Officer of Cycling Africa, Bamidele Adeleye, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the new management structure would provide professional management, strategic partnerships, marketing, sponsorship development, event production and expansion opportunities for the two cycling initiatives and other projects in the pipeline.
He said BrandEscort Communications would continue to provide media support for the events.
“Africa needs more platforms that can bring people together across borders. Cycling provides that opportunity. Our vision is to build a network of cycling events and initiatives that can contribute to healthier communities, cleaner cities and stronger sports tourism across Africa,” Adeleye said.
He described the new structure as an important stage in the development of Cycling Lagos and Cycling Kano, noting that both events had established strong followership and provided opportunities to promote cycling beyond competitive sport.
Cycling Lagos is preparing for its fifth edition and has grown from its early years into a major cycling event, attracting professional and recreational cyclists, children, families, corporate organisations, government agencies and other enthusiasts. Published reports on the 2026 edition also confirm that the event is scheduled for September 12 at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Adeleye said Cycling Kano had similarly emerged as an important platform for promoting cycling and healthy lifestyles in Northern Nigeria following its successful hosting in partnership with the Kano State Government in 2025.
“Under the new structure, Cycling Africa will build on the successes of both events while developing a unified African cycling platform capable of connecting cyclists, brands, governments, tourism organisations and other stakeholders across the continent,” he said.
According to him, the long-term objective is to take the models developed through Cycling Lagos and Cycling Kano to other African cities, either by introducing new cycling events or strengthening existing initiatives.
“Cycling Africa is being created with a much bigger vision than organising individual cycling events. Our objective is to build a continental cycling platform that connects cities, communities, brands and governments through cycling,” Adeleye said.
He said cycling could play a greater role in Africa’s development through youth engagement, transportation, tourism, fitness, environmental sustainability, job creation and community development.
Adeleye said the expansion programme would identify strategic cities where cycling events could be introduced or existing cycling initiatives strengthened. He added that Cycling Africa would pursue partnerships with governments, corporate organisations, international development institutions, cycling associations, tourism agencies and environmental organisations to develop sustainable cycling programmes.
The announcement comes ahead of the fifth edition of Cycling Lagos, scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Registration for the event opened on July 1 and is scheduled to close on August 26, according to reports on the organisers’ preparations.
The 2026 edition is themed “Trash to Treasure”, with the organisers linking the theme to environmental sustainability, recycling, responsible waste management and the conversion of waste into useful resources. The event is expected to bring together professional and amateur cyclists, children, celebrities, recreational riders and other participants.
Adeleye said the growth of Cycling Lagos had demonstrated the potential for cycling to become a stronger part of Nigeria’s sports and tourism landscape, adding that the next phase would be to use the experience gained from Lagos and Kano to build a wider African network.
The annual Cycling Lagos is organised by BrandEscort Communications in partnership with the Lagos State Cycling Association, with support from stakeholders within and outside Nigeria.
