Sports

NCF Unveils Yellow Greens Squad For T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers

Published

2 months ago

September 10, 2025

Joel Ajayi

The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has announced a 15-man squad for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, scheduled to take place in Zimbabwe from September 28 to October 4.

Team captain Sylvester Okpe will lead the Yellow Greens alongside his brother Isaac Okpe, Elijah Olaleye, Selim Salau, Sulaimon Runsewe, and Isaac Danladi all of whom have undergone intensive international training since July.

Okpe, Olaleye, and Salau gained valuable experience competing in Zimbabwe’s domestic league between August 2 and September 14, while Runsewe and Danladi honed their skills at a high-performance training programme in South Africa.

Also making the roster are Vincent Adewoye, Ridwan Kareem, Prosper Useni, Peter Aho, Jimoh Abdulrahman, and Solomon Chilemanya.

Chiemelie Udekwe, Adedeji Sesan, and Joshua Asia return to the team after missing the Yellow Greens’ last outing in Uganda.

Guided by head coach Steve Tikolo, a former Kenya international, Nigeria has been camping in Lagos since concluding their Pearl of Africa tournament campaign in July.

The Yellow Greens will face Namibia, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Botswana in the final round of qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

Nigeria secured their place in this stage by topping Group B of the Africa qualifier last year.

Only two teams from Africa will advance to join the already-qualified nations, which include South Africa, at the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka between February and March.

Share on Facebook

Sports

“ This Award Gives Me Hope” Makanjuola Nureni Honoured for His Dedication to Nigerian Sports

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

The Gleamer

Abuja-based football administrator and philanthropist, Makanjuola Nureni, has been honoured with the Distinguished Service Award by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in recognition of his outstanding support to sports journalism and his immense contributions to sports development in Nigeria.

The prestigious award was presented on Friday in Abuja during SWAN’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration held in Abuja, marking 60 years of promoting sports journalism and excellence across the nation.

Expressing his gratitude after receiving the honour, Makanjuola Nureni described the award as a source of inspiration and renewed motivation to continue his lifelong commitment to youth and grassroots sports.

“This award gives me hope and motivation to do more. It’s a source of inspiration to me and my supporters, and I believe it will encourage us to invest more in youth sports development in Nigeria,” he said.

He added that the recognition serves as a morale booster after decades of hard work and silent impact in the sports community.

“I feel happy and fulfilled because we have been doing this for decades, and many times, our efforts went unnoticed. But I thank God that SWAN recognized people like us,” Nureni expressed.

Makanjuola Nureni is the founder and owner of Water FC Academy, a renowned football institution based in Abuja that focuses on discovering, nurturing, and empowering young Nigerian talents.

Through Water FC, he has developed and sponsored numerous players who have gone on to represent Nigeria’s national teams and play professionally in clubs across Africa, Europe, and beyond.

His consistency, passion, and investment in the development of young athletes have made him a key figure in Nigerian grassroots football.

In presenting the award, SWAN commended Nureni’s unwavering dedication to the growth of sports and his continuous support for sports journalism and youth empowerment.

The association highlighted his decades-long service to football development and described him as a true partner in the promotion of excellence within Nigerian sports.

The SWAN Diamond Jubilee Celebration brought together prominent figures from sports administration, the media, and government sectors to honour individuals and organizations whose contributions have advanced sports development and journalism in Nigeria.

Nureni’s recognition stands out as a testament to his vision, consistency, and commitment to creating opportunities for young athletes and strengthening the foundation of Nigerian football.

With this honour, Makanjuola Nureni further cements his legacy as one of the foremost private contributors to sports growth and youth development in Nigeria.

His story continues to inspire a new generation of sports administrators and philanthropists dedicated to transforming Nigerian sports from the grassroots up.

Share on Facebook