Sports

AFFAN pledges to collaborate with National Sports Commission

Published

2 years ago

February 6, 2025

… Appeals to NSC to sponsor ageing female athletes for coaching courses*

The Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN) has pledged to collaborate with the National Sports Commission (NSC) to further advance female sports in Nigeria.

The Chairman of AFFAN, Dr Toyin Aluko made this commitment during a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, at his office on Thursday.

Aluko shared that the defunct Ministry of Sports Development had officially recognised AFFAN and approved the inclusion of its members on the boards of National Sports Federations, with the next election scheduled after the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The former athlete expressed the association’s goal of becoming more visible to inspire young girls and their parents, showing them that success in both sports and academics is attainable.

She stated, “I want to assure the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, that AFFAN is fully committed to the success of sports in Nigeria. The association is made up of retired female athletes who have brought glory to Nigeria during their active careers.

“Thanks to our reputation, the defunct Ministry of Sports Development, led by Senator John Enoch, approved our inclusion in the boards of National Sports Federations in the upcoming elections.

“We seek a platform from the National Sports Commission to increase our visibility in sports camps and competitions (both locally and internationally) to help protect female athletes and prevent any form of abuse.

“AFFAN also appeals to the NSC to sponsor ageing or former elite female athletes from various sports federations to attend reputable coaching courses, both locally and internationally. This will empower them to train and certify female coaches and referees who excel in their profession.

“There is a significant shortage of female coaches and referees in Nigeria. We urge the NSC to take a special interest in female coaches by supporting and facilitating the training of former female athletes.”

In his response, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, assured that AFFAN’s inclusion on the boards of National Sports Federations would be activated and revisited.

“It is encouraging to see competent retired female athletes come together to form AFFAN and give back to society. The Commission will collaborate with AFFAN, as these women have participated in the very sports we seek to develop,” Mallam Dikko said.

“I also encourage AFFAN to re-engage with us ahead of the National Sports Federations elections, as guidelines for the elections are currently being formulated by a section of the National Sports Commission.”

Dikko acknowledged the consistent contribution of female athletes in securing Olympic medals for Nigeria and assured AFFAN of the Commission’s full support in its initiatives.

Dikko added that the Zonal Offices will be reactivated in order for more athletes to be discovered from every part of the country.

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Sports

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

Published

8 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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