Sports

Excitement, As 5th edition of PwC Cricket Championship commences Today

Published

3 years ago

February 14, 2024

Joel Ajayi

The stage is now set as 5th Edition of the Nigeria Cricket Federation in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers PwC National U-17 Cricket Tournament finals as representatives of six geo-political zones set to rumble in Abuja from today’s Thursday to be climax on Sunday.

The game will be played at Cricket Ovals inside Moshood Abiola National Stadium package B Abuja where expectations is very high as many talents will be discover.

The six geo political zones which includes, South-East, North-Central, South- South, North-West, North-East and South-West.

Speaking in a Press briefing ahead of the event on Wednesday in Abuja, the Secretary General of Nigeria Cricket Federation, NCF, Sani Muhammed who represented the President of Nigeria Cricket Federation Uyi Akpata revealed that Federation’s target is to get more children into the game of cricket.

“This partnership with Pwc has helped many young people in Nigeria where many of them have been taken off the street to find life through cricket.”

He commended PricewaterhouseCoopers, PwC, for the support of the tourney that is motivating the Federation to do more for the development of cricket in the country.

“Your commitment, your partnership has been a major source of motivation for NCF.

”You all are aware that PwC has been supporting and the government is supporting they’re working hand in hand. All hands on deck we appreciate people that are supporting grassroots development and today some of the talents discovered in this tourney are now making country proudtMajority of the elite athletes that are in the national teams today, are from the grassroot level, so once more would like to thank PwC for a long, long time partnership that we had with them. Government is always here to give you more support or whatever means to see that this program goes on.

Speaking also, the representative of PwC, Mr Tolu Adeleke, said PWC target is to discover more talents that will be the best in the world.According to him the sponsorship is part of their corporate responsibility in empowering youths and taking them off the street.

“We are excited to be here again, we have been doing this for years to help the young Nigerians boys and girls.“Our goal at PwC is to solve societal problems, giving hope to the hopeless as well as getting the children off the street and giving them life.

“And we have seen tremendous growth in the game over the years, there were improvement in the number of states that take part as well as an increased in the number of players, We are happy to see talents developed over the years we will not relent we shall continue to get more talent developed.

“It been a great journey, we want the journey to continue as long as we are seeing positive change in the life of children.” He said

While giving report on the growthand developmentof the tournament, the NCF Tournament Manager Bode Musa Ehizoje enumerated positive impacts of the tournament in the last four years as the number of participating states keep increasing.

He said for male it was 19 states that started but today 33 states while in Female category 29 states took part in the tourney.It will be recalled that, South Male and Female team showed sheer dominance in the competition, energed winner of 2023 edition.

It was the fourth consecutive win for the ladies and the third for the male team.

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Sports

NSC DG, Olopade Celebrates Nigeria at 66, Assures of More Progressive Sports Development Under President Tinubu

Published

21 hours ago

October 1, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has congratulated Nigerians as the nation celebrates its 66th Independence Anniversary, describing the milestone as a reflection of Nigeria’s resilience, unity and remarkable capacity to excel on the global stage, particularly through sports.

Hon. Olopade said Nigeria at 66 is an occasion every Nigerian should be proud of, noting that despite the challenges encountered over the years, the country has continued to make significant progress and produce achievements capable of inspiring generations.

The DG said the sports sector has particular reasons to celebrate, pointing to a series of performances and milestones by Nigerian athletes and teams across the global sporting landscape.

“Today, we celebrate the resilience of our people, the strength of our unity and our belief in the promise of our great country, especially through sports.

“As we raise our flag with pride, may we remain committed to building a nation where every Nigerian has the opportunity to dream, thrive and succeed.”

Hon. Olopade said the progress being witnessed in Nigerian sports aligns with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria Sports Development (RHINSE), which he said is focused on creating a stronger and more sustainable pathway for athletes, while positioning sports as a tool for national development, youth empowerment and global recognition.

He pointed to Nigeria’s outstanding performance at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games as one of the latest examples of the country’s sporting potential. Team Nigeria returned from Glasgow with 24 medals, comprising 10 gold, seven silver and seven bronze, finishing seventh overall and as the highest-ranked African nation at the Games. The campaign also produced three world records and a number of historic milestones across para powerlifting, athletics, weightlifting, para athletics and judo.

Among the standout performances was that of Team Nigeria captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo, who won gold in para powerlifting and twice broke the world record during the competition, ultimately lifting 175kg. Goodness Nwachukwu also successfully defended her Commonwealth title in the women’s para discus and set a new world record, while Nigeria recorded historic Commonwealth gold medals through Samuel Ogazi in the men’s 400m, Ezekiel Nathaniel in the men’s 400m hurdles and Chukwuebuka Enekwechi in the men’s shot put.

“Today, Nigeria is a global force in para-sports, and athletes such as Folashade Oluwafemiayo and Goodness Nwachukwu continue to demonstrate the extraordinary talent and determination that exist within our country,” Hon. Olopade said.

He also celebrated the continued dominance of D’Tigress, Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, which in 2025 became the first nation to win five consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket titles after defeating Mali 78-64 in the final in Abidjan in the last edition. The achievement extended Nigeria’s unbeaten run in the competition to 29 games and secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup pathway.

On the global athletics scene, Hon. Olopade highlighted the continued excellence of Tobi Amusan and the emergence of a new generation of Nigerian sprinters. Amusan won silver in the women’s 100m hurdles at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest in September 2026, clocking 12.34 seconds in the final, while Kayinsola Ajayi added another significant milestone by winning Commonwealth bronze in the men’s 100m and helping Nigeria to bronze in the men’s 4x100m relay in Glasgow.

Nigeria’s football heritage, Hon. Olopade noted, remains another major source of national pride. The country holds the record for the most FIFA U-17 World Cup titles, with five championships won by the Golden Eaglets in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015.

He also pointed to the country’s growing influence in emerging sports, including flag football. Nigeria made history by winning both the men’s and women’s titles at the inaugural IFAF Africa Flag Football Championship in Cairo in 2025, earning qualification for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships ahead of the sport’s Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.

“These achievements across athletics, para-sports, basketball, football, weightlifting, flag football and other sports remind us that Nigeria possesses immense sporting talent,” the DG said.

“From our champions who continue to break world records to our young athletes who are announcing themselves on the international stage, the Nigerian flag continues to fly with pride around the world. This is why the development of sports must remain a national priority. Our responsibility is not only to celebrate champions after they emerge, but to build the systems, facilities, competitions and opportunities that allow more young Nigerians to become champions.”

“As we celebrate 66 years of our independence, we celebrate Nigeria’s past, but we must also look confidently toward the future. Our athletes have shown us what is possible when talent meets opportunity, preparation and support. The task before us is to ensure that more Nigerians have that opportunity,” the DG added.

“On behalf of the National Sports Commission, I wish all Nigerians a happy 66th Independence Anniversary. May our great nation continue to grow in strength, unity, prosperity and sporting excellence,” Hon. Olopade concluded.

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