Sports

FG Charges NFF To Build Will For Football Development In The Country

Published

3 years ago

October 12, 2023

Joel Ajayi

The Federal Government has called on the Executive Leadership of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to, as a matter of urgency, build sufficient will for the development of football in the country

The Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh gave the charge today in his office at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja when he engaged the Board Members of the Federation, led by its President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau in a fruitful deliberation on issues surrounding the development of the Nation’s Domestic Leagues

Senator Owan Enoh stated that the government was concerned about this, especially considering the fact that football has remained one of the key sports that not only attract national attention from across the country irrespective of tribe, religion or ethnicity but most importantly, provide opportunities for inclusiveness through the participation of our teeming youth, both male and female in the game

That is why he stated further that, it is imperative for the Federation to pursue with passion and intention, the development of the game at the grassroots level to provide more opportunities for job creation, poverty alleviation as well as unity and safety of the country.

He explained that the followership, interest, popularity, and excitement that football generates around the country necessitates that careful and intentional actions must be taken for its growth.

We must therefore be open to dissecting some of the burning issues in our football with a view to proffering workable solutions for them, he said

The Minister, who informed that the meeting was a family one, called on the Board to ensure they give themselves a timeline for the completion and harmonization of all pending issues that hinder the development of football in the country.

We must be open to dissecting some of the burning issues in our football. This is what this meeting is all about. It is important for us to know where we are as a football nation, what prospects we have as well as plans we have put in place. This sector is one where everyone is interested and wants to know what is going on. We should address topical and trending issues such as the 10-Year Football Master Plan implementation, membership of the Executive Board of the NFF, and the image of our league, amongst other issues. We must look at global best practices obtainable in thriving nations and leverage that to build our leagues to international standards

Senator Owan Enoh informed that the Ministry will continue to play its supervisory role in ensuring that Sports Federations work round the clock to enable the country to produce teams that can stand out in all its local and international competitions.

The Minister who expressed the government’s desire to see NFF develop football from the grassroots and also ensure adequate training on football to international standards, charged them to intensify campaigns that will create public awareness on all the league matches.

He therefore called on the football body to work assiduously towards the realization of the policy thrust of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary overseeing the Ministries of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar said that the meeting was intended to provide for opportunity to brainstorm on issues and challenges affecting the growth of football in the country with a view to finding sporting solutions to them

He assured that the Ministry will continue to ensure the implementation of the policies, initiatives and programs of the Federal Government that will help drive the development of sports with a view to bringing about the economic growth of the nation

In his brief at the meeting, the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau informed that the immediate challenges bedeviling the football body is how to ensure that the Super Eagles begin the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign on a strong note come the month of November, adding that everything would be done to see the Super Falcons qualify for the Women Olympic Football Tournament in Paris next year.

He assured that NFF as a body will work assiduously to ensure the development of the games at the grassroots level, promising further that the body will not only ensure high performance at the 2024 African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire but also embark on sensitization and creation of public awareness about the activities of our leagues

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

22 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

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