Sports

Cricket: NCF Pledges More Growth Set Up 2026 Top 3 Playing Nation In the World

Published

3 years ago

November 6, 2023

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria Cricket Federation NCF has said that the federation is more determined to bring more initiatives, innovation, and needed awareness that will further propel the game of cricket in the country and beyond.

President of NCF, Uyi Akpata gave this assurance at the “Annual General Meeting (AGM) and full Council meeting of 2023” at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja where the stakeholders converged and discussed the development of the game at large.

Developmental Issues discussed includes the development of coaches, and umpire, creating more awareness that will further increase the number of cricket lover in the country, and grassroots programs amongst other.

He expressed that the federation will continue to work hard to have a better future in the sport in the continent and the world, saying that the federation’s target is to be one of the top three cricket-playing countries in Africa by 2026.

Speaking on the progress of the national team and some achievements so far, Akpata said the two teams (male and female) gave a good account of themselves by making the country proud in their recent outing.

According to him as a federation and board, we will continue to work hard to see our dream come truth

The aim of the federation is that in 2026 Nigeria will be among the best countries in the continent and at the global level.

“We also won an invitational championship In April, we also the West Africa Trophy,

“We have moved from 38 to 28 rank, we move 10 steps ahead in the world, we just moved a step up from number eight in Africa to number seven.

Akpata who has contributed immensely to the growth of Cricket in the last two years optimistic that with the level of exposure and preparation, the female team will participate in the World Cup qualifier saying that, Nigeria stands a very good chance for female qualifying for the ICC T20 world cup.

Meanwhile, close to 70 stakeholders were present at the AGM delegates from 37 states and 10 board members, we came to realign with the development of the Sports

“We had two sessions, one session was an open session where we met to reinforce our strategy and get input from the various stakeholders.

“The second segment was a formal Annual General Meeting (AGM) in line with our constitutional obligations,” he said.

He however applauded all members for honouring the annual general meeting and urged them to leave no stone unturned toward the growth of the game

“The players, coaches, umpires, board members, stakeholders everybody has a role to play to achieve this dream that must come to reality.”

Under the leadership of the Akpata, Nigerian Cricket has witnessed some level of development to give a good future for the game as national teams have made some positive progress in their games.

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Sports

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

Published

4 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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