Chairman of NEDCOM, parent company of EV Motors, Dr Ned Okonkwo & Dr Ezekiel Adamu, Chairman & GMD of Balmoral group.
EV Automobiles has announced a partnership with Balmoral Group to award two brand-new electric vehicles to the winners of the headline celebrity boxing matches at this year’s Chaos in the Ring, in a move aimed at promoting Nigerian sports, entertainment and sustainable mobility.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the company’s headquarters in Lagos, where both organisations unveiled the vehicles and reaffirmed their commitment to investing in local talent and expanding opportunities within Nigeria’s sports and entertainment industry.
Under the arrangement, the winners of the highly anticipated bouts between Portable and Charles Okocha, as well as Mr Real and Idowest, will each receive a brand-new electric vehicle, significantly raising the stakes ahead of the July 31 event at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking at the unveiling, Chairman of EV Motors, Dr. Ned Okonkwo, described the collaboration as the beginning of a long-term relationship between two Nigerian brands committed to creating opportunities for young people.
According to him, the partnership reflects the company’s belief in nurturing homegrown talent and creating opportunities within the country rather than encouraging migration.
“This partnership isn’t just for now. It’s a long-term relationship between two Nigerian brands that believe in the Nigerian dream,” he said, adding that the initiative was about “changing lives, rewarding excellence and showing young Nigerians that they can achieve their dreams here.”
Okonkwo also expressed confidence that Nigeria could become a destination for world-class boxing events, noting that the country’s fighters had consistently excelled on the global stage.
Founder of Chaos in the Ring and Group Managing Director of Balmoral Group, Dr. Ezekiel Adamu, said the partnership aligns with the platform’s vision of transforming African boxing through innovation, entertainment and global exposure.
He said Nigeria possessed abundant talent but had historically lacked platforms to showcase it.
Since its inception, Chaos in the Ring has combined professional boxing with entertainment, generating more than two billion video views and 4.2 billion digital impressions, while securing global distribution through sports streaming platform DAZN.
Adamu said the platform had improved the fortunes of Nigerian boxers, noting that many fighters who once earned less than ₦50,000 per bout now command significantly higher purses, sign international contracts and compete internationally.
“Our dream has always been to reverse the narrative, so that international athletes begin looking to Africa as a destination for opportunity. We’re already seeing that happen,” he said.
The organisers described the partnership with EV Motors as another milestone in promoting Nigerian excellence, innovation and youth empowerment, while promising fans an exciting night of boxing, celebrity rivalries, music and entertainment with two electric vehicles awaiting the night’s biggest winners.