Sports

Cricket is the Best Run Sport in Nigeria-Akpata

Published

3 years ago

November 17, 2023

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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Sports

PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon Splashes Big Prize Money Ahead Of 14 November 2026 Race

Published

3 hours ago

October 25, 2026

The Gleamer

Top Three Elite Finishers To Earn $8,000, $6,000 And $5,000 Respectively

The organisers of the highly anticipated PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon have announced an attractive prize package for athletes across every category ahead of the race on 14 November 2026 in Abuja.

The prize announcement has been welcomed by athletes and coaches, as the event continues to establish itself as one of the leading road races in Nigeria. The race offers local athletes the chance to compete against international runners in front of a home crowd, while also earning meaningful rewards.

In the elite category, first place earns $8,000, second place takes $6,000, third place gets $5,000, fourth place receives $4,000, fifth place goes home with $3,000, sixth place earns $2,000, seventh place takes $1,000, and eighth place gets $500.

In the Nigerian category, first place earns ₦2,000,000, second place takes ₦1,500,000, third place gets ₦1,000,000, fourth place receives ₦500,000, fifth place goes home with ₦300,000, sixth place earns ₦200,000, seventh place takes ₦100,000, and eighth place gets ₦50,000.

According to the organisers, the prize structure reflects the commitment of PremiumTrust Bank to the growth of athletics in Nigeria and to the encouragement of home based athletes. The separate Nigerian category ensures that local runners are properly recognised and rewarded for their performance.

The half marathon, which covers 21 kilometres, remains an important event for long distance runners. It serves as a test of endurance and preparation, and it provides a competitive platform for athletes building towards major national and international competitions.

The race is expected to draw elite athletes, club runners, corporate teams, fitness enthusiasts and supporters from across Nigeria and beyond. The turnout is expected to be high, given the interest already shown since registration opened.

Organisers have advised interested runners to register early through the official registration portal of the race to secure their participation, as arrangements are being put in place for timing, security, medical support and traffic management on race day.

The prize money is now confirmed, attention will shift to the athletes as they complete their final weeks of training and preparations ahead of the race day.

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