T2 Brings Football, Community, and Cultural Energy to Calabar Carnival 2025

The Calabar Carnival, widely celebrated as Africa’s biggest street party and a living archive of Cross River’s cultural heritage, found fresh expression this year as T2 (formerly 9Mobile) partnered with the Cross River State Government to spotlight sports as a tool for community, wellness, and unity.

As part of the 2025 Calabar Carnival, T2 sponsored a novelty football tournament that blended athleticism with cultural festivity, expanding the carnival narrative beyond music, masquerades, and street parades into the shared language of movement, health, and collective joy.

Held at the University of Calabar Stadium, the tournament brought together public officials, community leaders, and spectators in a vibrant cultural moment where competition met camaraderie. Cash prizes and branded gift items were awarded to standout performers, reinforcing the carnival’s tradition of recognising excellence and participation.

Speaking during the final match, Saviour Agabi, Regional Supervisor of T2 in Calabar, described the company’s involvement as a natural alignment with the carnival’s spirit.

“Calabar Carnival represents connection, identity, and shared experience, values that align with T2’s vision as a digital lifestyle partner. Our participation is about reaffirming our presence, reconnecting with communities, and supporting platforms that bring people together,” he said.

Agabi added that the partnership also marked a public reintroduction of the brand following its rebranding to T2, underscoring the company’s renewed commitment to Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape.

From a cultural governance perspective, Ntufam Ekanem Ekpenyong, Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development and coordinator of the tournament, noted that integrating sports into the carnival reflects a broader understanding of culture as lived practice.

“Culture is not static,” he said. “It lives in movement, health, play, and communal participation. By integrating football into the Calabar Carnival, we are promoting wellness while reinforcing leadership’s connection to the people.”

Matches were deliberately kept short to ensure safety and inclusivity, aligning with the carnival’s ethos of care and sustainability.

Also speaking, Hon. Yibala Inyang, Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Area and ALGON Chairman in Cross River State, described the tournament as a bridge between governance, community, and cultural expression. He highlighted sports as a powerful tool for unity and tourism development, reflecting Governor Bassey Otu’s inclusive vision.

At the close of the tournament, Hon. Bassey Egbala emerged as highest goal scorer, while Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, was named Most Valuable Player. Hon. Umet Ogbu received the Best Goalkeeper award. Each received a ₦50,000 cash prize and T2-branded memorabilia, symbolically weaving the brand into the carnival’s cultural fabric.

By activating within the Calabar Carnival, T2 reinforces its evolving identity as more than a telecoms brand, positioning itself as a connector of communities, culture, and contemporary Nigerian life.