Sports
NSC Chairman Urges Newly Elected Cycling Federation Board to Prioritize Grassroots Development
Joel Ajayi
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Malam Shehu Dikko, has sworn in the newly elected President and Board members of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN), charging them to take the sport to the grassroots and make it more attractive to Nigerians.
The inauguration followed Sunday’s election, which produced a 17-member board to pilot the affairs of the Federation for the next four years.
In his remarks, on Monday in Abuja during the inaguration, Dikko congratulated the new leadership and emphasized the importance of grassroots sports development in discovering and nurturing young talents.
“On behalf of the NSC and President Bola Tinubu, I congratulate you on your election, and to remind you of the national agenda to reset and refocus on the development of sports in Nigeria.
“Your mandate is clear to transform cycling into a sport that inspires youth, engages communities, and represents Nigeria proudly at international competitions,” Dikko stated.
He urged the CFN to collaborate with stakeholders, attract private sector investment, and maintain transparency in its operations. He further assured that the Commission would not interfere in the running of any Federation but would continue to provide the necessary support for sports development.
“Cycling already has some of the best facilities. It is now important to maximize them for the benefit of Nigerians. We must also make the sport attractive to investors,” he added.
In his remarked, the CFN President, Engr. Chief Giandomenico Massari, pledged to work tirelessly to expand opportunities for young cyclists across the country, stressing that his administration would be driven by strategic planning and stakeholder collaboration.
Highlighting recent milestones, Massari recalled that Nigeria has in recent years won several medals at continental level, particularly in the female category, secured World Championship qualifications in both track and road events, and made history by participating in the Olympics for the first time.
He however acknowledged the challenges facing the male category, noting that while the athletes are talented, the performance gap remains wide compared to continental rivals.
“With more dedication and investment, we will bridge the gap. For the women, we have already recorded significant milestones, including Olympic qualification,” he said.
Looking ahead, Massari announced that Nigeria has been awarded the hosting rights for the African Track Championship next year.
He added that once the Abuja velodrome is fully certified by the UCI, the country would also be positioned to host international cycling competitions beyond Africa.
The newly elected CFN board members include:Chief Giandomenico Massari – President, Dr. Ago Habu Abdurahaman – 1st Vice President, Dr. Amidu James Iye Mohammed – 2nd Vice President, Dr. Igbinosa Emmanuel – Member, Mohammed Bashir – Member
Others are Veteran Journalist Mr. Patrick Omorodion – Member, DCI Farouk Umar Abdullahi – Member, Brig. Gen. A.R. Bello – Member, Miss Sally Ogana – Member, Mr. Ajibike Julius Babatunde – Member, Hon. Sulaiman Ahmed Muduru Member, Mr. Amike Henrry Ochupekhai Member, Mrs Angela Okoro Member, Mrs. Rahab Kaze Member, Miss Tawakalt Omotayo Yeekeen Member, Miss Sally Ogene Member.
Sports
Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney
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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