Since 2016, Seven-Up Bottling Company’s Aquafina Premium drinking water has shown up at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon every single year. As the partnership enters its 11th edition, athletes, organisers, and fitness advocates reflect on what a decade of sustained support really means.

At 6:30 am on February 14, elite athletes, thousands of runners, including first-timers, formed thick streams at the starting line of the 11th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon. They could be seen adjusting race bibs, stretching calves and taking photographs. Friends who had trained together for months since the announcement of the race were ready to run.

Interspersed among the title sponsor’s branding were the unmistakable blue and white colours of Aquafina. The brand was everywhere: at the start and finish lines, at hydration points every 2.5 kilometres, on volunteer vests, and in the hands of race marshals pressing chilled bottles into the palms of passing runners.

When the marathon first launched in 2016, organising a full 42-kilometre international race in Lagos was a major undertaking. As participation grew, including runners from across Africa, the need for reliable hydration planning became even more important. Aquafina’s continued involvement has aligned with that growth, helping organisers maintain a consistent hydration structure as the event expanded.

For the 2026 edition, Aquafina built its engagement around the 10KM race with the theme “Run am with your Padi,” a Nigerian Pidgin phrase that speaks to companionship. The message reflected how many participants approach the 10-kilometre category, running with friends, training partners, or social groups rather than competing professionally. The campaign appeared across outdoor and digital channels, reinforcing the social side of the race.

From a runner’s perspective, hydration was where Aquafina’s dominance on the course was most obvious. Harriet Wonder, a participant in the 2026 marathon, described her experience simply: “There was more than enough water and drink for everyone. At intervals, there was always water, like if you wanted to drink 100 bottles of water, you’ll get it. Hydration was not a problem.” Her comment captures how Aquafina’s strong presence at the event translated into a race experience where runners rarely had to think about water availability.

Aquafina’s 2026 activation also introduced one of the event’s biggest talking points, a N1million reward for the first 10 padi groups to cross the finish line in the 10-kilometre fun run. Rather than focusing only on elite competitors, the incentive placed attention on everyday runners, who make up the largest share of participants.

That decision also added excitement to the community category. For many runners, the fun run is about personal fitness goals or showing up with friends. Adding a significant reward recognised their contribution to the marathon’s energy and scale.

More than just a prize, the move reflected Aquafina’s awareness of the growing fitness culture around the event. It placed value on grassroots participation, the runners who return each year and help shape the marathon atmosphere.

In sports sponsorship, longevity builds familiarity. After eleven consecutive years, Aquafina’s presence has become an expected part of the marathon experience for returning runners. Hydration stations are not just branded touchpoints; they are functional stops runners plan around as they move through the course.

Nigeria’s recreational running culture has expanded steadily since the marathon began, with more clubs and informal groups encouraging participation. Large events like the marathon reflect that growth, and consistent corporate support helps sustain the infrastructure required to host thousands of runners.

More than a decade into the partnership, Aquafina’s role is defined by consistency. By providing reliable hydration year after year, the brand has entrenched itself as the ‘Padi of Life’, becoming a race day essential for runners navigating one of Lagos’ largest sporting events.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The captain of Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has expressed her deep frustration over the unexpected decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to postpone the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 12 days before kickoff to July.

The continental showpiece, which serves as the premier national team competition for women’s football in Africa, was originally scheduled to kick off on March 17, 2026.

However, in a brief statement released on Thursday, CAF announced a postponement, pushing the tournament to July of the same year. The tournament will now be held from July 25 to August 16.

The African football governing body cited “some unforeseen circumstances” as the reason for the postponement, without providing further immediate details on the nature of these challenges.

The Nigerian skipper, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Women in France, took to her official X (formerly Twitter) account to express her disappointment at the rescheduling in a brief statement.

“African women’s football deserves better,” Ajibade wrote, accompanying the text with a disappointed emoji and some hashtags.

The frustration comes after days of her leading the Super Falcons in a pair of international friendly matches against Cameroon.

The postponement highlights some challenges facing the tournament, including timeline instability, logistical changes, and a lack of transparent communication.

The sudden shift in the WAFCON schedule now throws those preparations into disarray, forcing coaches and players across the continent to redraw their plans.

The postponement raises several questions for participating nations, including Nigeria, which won the tournament for the record 10th time last year and will be going for the 11th title in Morocco.

Key among these sets of questions is the availability of players, as the new July dates fall outside the primary international window, potentially clashing with pre-season training for many professionals or even overlapping with club commitments.

Furthermore, the delay prolongs the qualification process and disrupts the carefully planned calendars of the 12 qualified teams.

The tournament doubles up as a qualifier for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

There have been whispers that Morocco, which hosted the last two, is unwilling to host the tournament again after the chaotic scenes that played out in the 2025 men’s AFCON final, which Morocco lost 1-0 to Senegal in a dramatic match at the Stade Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat.