Sports
LAGOS NATIONAL STADIUM FINALLY WEARS NEW LOOK FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF REHABILITATION WORK ON DECAYED FACILITIES
One of Nigeria’s iconic Sporting Facilities the National stadium in Surulere Lagos is finally returning back to its glory days with the completion of rehabilitation work on its decayed facilities.
The Lagos stadium has been abandoned for so many years before the immediate past Minister for Youth and Sports Sunday Dare took it upon himself to ensure the revival of the edifice that was once Nigeria’s home of Sporting Glory.
Months after leaving office, Dare can be proud after ensuring that the job he started when he was at the helms has now been completed.
The National Stadium surelere can now boast of a world class football pitch and tracks with a functional scoreboard.
The level of damage of the Lagos stadium was so huge that previous Sports Ministers only made promises but was never able to do anything to give the facilities a facelift.
But Dare’s Adopt a facility initiative was a public private model which was able to deliver some critical sporting infrastructure across the country.
In the case of National Stadium Surulere, Dare was able to parent with Sir Adebutu Keshington, the founder of Premier Lotto to renovate 3 critical components of the Surulere stadium in Lagos.
The success of a similar partnership was achieved with the Dangote Group under Dare and it delivered critical renovations at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja.
When some negative stories were reported in the media in April about the Lagos stadium, Dare maintained that work might be slow but it will completed as promised.
In 2019, Dare embarked on an inspection tour of the Lagos stadium alongside the Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu and gave his assurances to revamp the stadium and today he has put to action those promises.
Built in 1961, the stadium hosted the 1963 All Africa Games and in 1980 Nigeria lifted their first Africa cup of Nations title at the same stadium.
2004 was the last time the stadium hosted a football tournament but with the latest rehabilitation, sports fans can now look forward to a return of Sporting activities in Surelere.
Sports
35 Days to Go: Nigeria Set to Host African Junior Athletics Championship in Abeokuta
Joel Ajayi
With just 35 days to go, Nigeria is revving up preparations to host the 3rd edition of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) African Junior Athletics Championship, scheduled to take place from July 16 to 20, 2025, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Returning to Nigerian soil, the prestigious biennial event will welcome the continent’s most promising Under-18 and Under-20 athletes to the newly refurbished MKO Abiola International Stadium, which recently played host to the 22nd National Sports Festival.
Over 500 athletes from more than 50 African nations are expected to compete in this year’s championship, making it one of the largest gatherings of young athletic talent on the continent.
South Africa, the reigning overall champions, will be looking to defend their title, but Nigeria’s young stars are also eager to make a strong statement on home soil.
“This is not just a competition; it is a celebration of Africa’s future in track and field,” Hon. Bukola Olopade, DG of the National Sports Commission said.
“Nigeria is honored to host once again and to demonstrate its world-class capacity in organizing major sporting events,” he added.
The choice of Abeokuta—also known as the Gateway City—underscores the state’s growing reputation as a hub for sports development, alongside other Nigerian cities. With its state-of-the-art facilities and strategic location, the city is set to deliver an unforgettable experience for athletes, officials, and fans alike.
The CAA African Junior Championships is widely regarded as the breeding ground for the continent’s future Olympic and world champions.
As the countdown continues, all eyes will be on Nigeria to once again rise to the occasion and reinforce its status as Africa’s true sporting giant.
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