Sports

Dangote Group Hands Over Rehabilitated MKO Abiola Stadium Pitch, Ministry

Published

5 years ago

December 3, 2021

Pitch has World’s most modern Paspalum grass-Dare

Joel Ajayi

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development today formally received the rehabilitated Moshood Abiola Stadium pitch and Digital Score-boards from the Dangote Industries Group (DIG) that revived it after years of neglect under the “Adopt-a-pitch” initiative of the Honourable Minister, Sunday Dare.

In his remarks, as the representative of the Chairman of Dangote Industries Group (DIG), Aliko Dangote, the Executive Director, Stakeholder Management and Corporate Communications of the Group, Alh. Mansur Ahmed stated that the formal hand-over of the rehabilitated pitch is a testimony of the commitment of the company to sports development and supporting Football – the foremost sports, Nigerians are passionate about.

“As we all know, Nigerian players are international but until now, we don’t have an international standard facility and our commitment is to work with the Ministry to make sure that this particular facility remains of international standard. We are therefore happy to contribute by this renovation, and by the arrangement to maintain it for the next two years”, Mr. Ahmed added.

The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ismaila Abubakar lauded the Dangote Group for believing in the vision of the Minister and the Ministry and exemplifying a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that works. He restated the commitment of the Ministry to ensure that the new facility is put to productive use and properly maintained.

In his submission, the Special Adviser to the President on Sports, a former Nigerian International, Daniel Amokachi showered encomiums on the Minister for his foresight in thinking out of the box to fix the dilapidated pitch. He charged the Dangote Group to consider extending the period of maintenance beyond 2 years, stating that after expending $1m to renovate the facility, long-term maintenance is paramount.

Whilst receiving the formal handover documents from the Executive Director, Projects, Aron Nigeria Ltd, Soji Adeniji – the contractor handling the project, the Minister lauded the contractor and the Dangote Group for completing the project in record time, despite constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“By the words of the experts here and those that have toured the facility, we have the latest grass here – Paspalum grass, one of the best, when we talk about football pitches across the World. Something exactly similar to what we have in Qatar, that will be used for the World Cup next year.

“We thank Alh. Aliko Dangote for opening his doors to us, and accepting to adopt the Moshood Abiola Stadium when we came up with our ‘Adopt-a-Pitch’ proposal. We salute his commitment that culminated in the completion of the project today, inclusive of maintenance for at least two years,” Dare emphasized.

The renovated pitch, aside from the new Digital Score-boards, has a nursery being cultivated to produce fresh grass to replace withered ones when necessary, and sprinklers to keep the grass lush green all year round.

Only a few months ago, the President of the World Soccer Governing Body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino, while on a visit to the Stadium, commended the quality of the new pitch and promised to facilitate the hosting of international matches on it.

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Sports

Nigerian Goalkeeper James Honoured with Spot in Finland’s Team of the Season

Published

15 hours ago

October 27, 2026

The Gleamer

Ibrahim Lawal

Nigeria’s Super Eagles goalkeeper Samuel Friday James has earned recognition among the best-performing players in Finland following his impressive displays for SJK Akatemia in the 2026 season.

The 20-year-old shot-stopper ranks second among the league’s selected best-performing XI, with an average rating of 7.61, according to statistics published by Totori News.

James’ performances have stood out despite the challenging campaign faced by his club, with his consistency between the posts making him one of the bright spots in the team.

The former Mavlon FC goalkeeper has recorded four clean sheets in Finland’s Ykkösliiga this season, while his shot-stopping ability has further underlined his growing reputation in European football.

According to available season statistics from FootyStats, James has made 20 league appearances, playing 1,800 minutes. He has conceded 32 goals and made 75 saves from 109 shots faced, giving him a save percentage of approximately 68.8 per cent.

His four clean sheets account for 20 per cent of his league appearances, demonstrating his ability to keep opponents at bay despite the defensive challenges confronting his team.

James has also shown composure and resilience in difficult matches, including his recent international outing for Nigeria against Russia, where he made his senior Super Eagles appearance in the 3-3 friendly draw on October 6.

Standing at 1.95 metres, the young goalkeeper possesses the physical attributes required for the modern game, combining his reach with quick reactions and an increasingly valuable experience of European football.

His rise has been particularly encouraging following his move from Lagos-based Mavlon FC to Finland in 2025. Since then, he has continued to develop through regular competitive football and has attracted attention for his performances.

James’ latest statistical recognition of 7.55 rating in the team of the season adds to his growing profile as Nigeria continues to assess goalkeeping options for the future.

At 20, the goalkeeper will be hoping to build on his progress in Finland and establish himself as a regular contender for the Super Eagles, while continuing to improve his performances at club level.

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