Sports
I am Bringing Capacity, Integrity, Grassroots Dev’t To Nigeria Football-NFF Board Member
Joel Ajayi
The new board member of the Nigeria Football Federation NFF, and Proprietor of the FC One Rocket an NNL Club based in Akwa Ibom state South-South Nigeria Rt. Honourable Nse Essien has identified capacity building, integrity and grassroots development as part of his innovation he is bringing on board for more growth and development of Nigeria football.
He gave the hint during an interview with journalists in Abuja where he talked about his journey into football and his desire to give a platform for the young ones who don’t have the opportunity.
Mr Nse Essien who equally owned a football academy says that his desire is to give the millions of young people the opportunity to exhibit their God-giving talent.
According to him, we are trying to give the young people an opportunity to exhibit their God-giving talent.
Life is about having a platform to exhibit what you can do in life and that is what we do for the young people.
When asked what will be his contribution to the NFF? He replied: “By the grace of God, I am bringing the capacity that is the truth, I will bring integrity as well as grassroots development . That is why I have an academy, like said earlier, my academy supplies most players. So these younger people are there in the rural and urban areas. There is a need for us to give them a platform.
“I remembered in the past we used to have what we called the principal cup, where secondary schools are gathered across the state, I am re-inventing in Akwa Ibom state.
“I will also try to encourage the leadership of the federation to look into grassroots growth, thankfully NFF President said, he will not play with football grassroots development.
“We need to go back to the era when we had a state league, state league is not functioning anymore, I wish to also have a governor’s cup in my state, and these are the kinds of things I want to encourage.”
He however, identified fund, sponsorship and inability of the league to be on TV as challenges of football in the country, saying those challenges propel him to come into NFF board to contribute his quota toward football growth.
Sports
PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon Splashes Big Prize Money Ahead Of 14 November 2026 Race
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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