UPDATED: Kenya’s Edwin Kibet wins 10th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

By Olaolu Joseph and Adeola Ogunrinde

Edwin Kibet Koech, a Kenyan athlete, has won the men’s category of the 2025 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, held on Saturday.

The Lagos State Government announced a planned eight-hour road closure and traffic diversion along identified routes for the race on Friday, effective from 5 am to 1 pm.

Koech, who took home the $50,000 first-place prize for the men’s category, achieved his second victory after clinching the title in the 2023 edition. He completed the race in a record time of 2 hours and 14 minutes.

In the women’s category, Ethiopia’s Guta Hirpa emerged victorious, clocking a time of 2 hours and 37.02 minutes. The 2025 win marked her third triumph in the marathon’s women’s event.

Nyango Boyi became the first Nigerian to finish the race, making history by placing in the top 10. He finished in 8th place with a time of 2:25:41.58, earning a $4,000 prize. As the first Nigerian to cross the finish line, Boyi also won the N2 million top prize in the Nigerian category.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was among the participants in this year’s Lagos City Marathon.

Approximately 37,000 runners competed in the 10km and 42km races of the 2025 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

Speaking at the event, the General Manager of the race and retired Nigerian long jumper, Yusuf Ali, said, “The figure was derived from the number of running kits distributed out of the over 60,000 runners who registered to take part.”

The 42km race started at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, at 6:30 am, while the 10km marathon began at the Grace Garden Event Centre in Lekki at 9:30 am. Both races ended at Eko Atlantic City.

The race, which began in 2016, has entered its 10th year with a World Athletics gold label. Organisers aim to achieve the platinum label, which would make it the first marathon race in Africa to reach this status.