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Cricket is the Best Run Sport in Nigeria-Akpata

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Joel Ajayi


President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata says his sport is the best-run sport in the country.


He made this claim while pitching his Cricket to the private sector at an event in Lagos tagged ‘Cricket meet Corporates’.
“I’d like to say the Nigeria Cricket Federation structure is the best I have seen around, and it is modeled from my experience in the private sector.” The career accountant said.


The meeting was meant for accountability to stakeholders, and to pitch the future of the game to new and potential sponsors. Uyi, told Cricket stakeholders that the three international awards won by the Federation, and a recent visit by the International Cricket Council’s Development Manager, William Glenwright, to understudy Nigeria’s growth plan was no fluke.


“We have some of the most dedicated workforce in sports development and some of the state posts a whooping 25, 000 kids’  in-take into the game annually. We currently do 250, 000 and we have raised the stake to 500, 000 for the coming season”


The PwC National Under-17 Championship has been one of the key events that has driven the grassroots effort of late; as most of the field officers see the platform as a place to showcase their regional engagement efforts.


Akpata said, “In 2023, we had uLesson come on board our youth project, and many more corporates like Accessbank joined our Women’s T20i Invitational that had five countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone). Eko Disco, Intercontinental Hotel, Sparkle, and Alaro City have also seen value in our projects.”


“In 2024, we are raising the stakes, and as the ICC has also beamed the searchlight on our activities, the 2.5 billion audience of Cricket is ours and our partners to leverage.”


Akpata added that the Nigeria Women’s team, presently ranked 30th in the world, and Men’s 38th standing on the World T20i table respectively adds to Nigeria’s enviable profile as the new year beckons.


“Our male team is presently in Zimbabwe, heading to Namibia next week to begin a historic chase for the 2024 World Cup ticket, and the ladies will do the same in a few weeks in December.”


He said the West Africa Under 15 Championship, The 2024 Women’s T20i Invitational in March, Men’s T20i Invitational, The Nigeria Super League, National championships, Secondary School Challenge Cup, and The Nigeria Universities Cricket League are some of the projects that the Federation will onboard next year.


Among notable corporate bodies that attended the function are UPDC, Olam, Card Center, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Infinity Snacks and Chams, to mention a few.


“We are very focused and value-driven and will be looking forward to working with several brands on these.” He concluded.

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Cricket: Nigeria To Host ICC U19 Men’s World Cup Qualifier

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Joel Ajayi

Nigeria Cricket Federation , NCF, says it is ready to host five other nations for the International Cricket Council ,ICC, Under 19 Men’s World Cup African Qualifier.


The tournament is billed for Lagos, with the matches to be held at the cricket ovals in Tafawa Balewa Square ,TBS, and the University of Lagos ,UniLag, from March 26 to April 6.


Uyi Akpata, President of the Federation, said in a statement on Sunday, that the tournament is about celebrating the growth of the game on the continent.


“Nigeria is thrilled to welcome these talented young cricketers and their supporters to Lagos.
“Our nation is known for its warm hospitality and fascinating cricketing potential, and we are committed to making this qualifier a memorable experience for all.


“This tournament is not just about competition; it’s about celebrating the growth of cricket in Africa and inspiring the next generation of players”, Akpata noted.


However, Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania and Sierra Leone will join Nigeria to jostle for the continent’s sole ticket to the 2026 ICC Under 19 Men’s World Cup.


Meanwhile, Nigeria will be hoping to secure the ticket, having achieved same feat in 2019 and competing at the World Cup in South Africa 2020

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