Sports
NCF Unveils Yellow Greens Squad For T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers
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.
Sports
Nigeria Targets Grassroots Sports Revival as Tinubu’s Aide Adeboye Unveils National Sports Grassroots Summit
Joel Ajayi
The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeboye Adeyinka, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of grassroots sports development in Nigeria, urging stakeholders to prioritise youth empowerment, education and national development alongside medals and trophies.
Adeyinka stated this on Thursday in Abuja during a press conference while announcing the 2026 National Grassroots Sports Summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19 at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The summit, with the theme, “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development,” is expected to bring together government officials, sports administrators, state and local government representatives, private-sector investors, development partners, coaches, athletes and other stakeholders.
The presidential aide stressed that sports development must be measured not only by international achievements but also by the number of young Nigerians whose lives are positively transformed through participation in sports.
He noted that while sporting excellence could lead some athletes to Olympic medals and World Cup glory, sports also offered millions of young people opportunities for education, personal development, employment and social inclusion.
“Sometimes, when we discuss sports development, we speak about stadiums, trophies, medals and international competitions.
“But I want us to remember that at the heart of every sporting achievement is a human being,” Adeyinka said.
He explained that participation in sports could help young Nigerians secure university scholarships, develop discipline, build confidence, acquire life skills and stay away from negative influences.
According to him, sports should be recognised as an important instrument for building character, strengthening communities and creating opportunities for young people, irrespective of their backgrounds.
On talent identification, Adeyinka expressed concern that Nigeria continues to lose potential sporting talents because many children lack access to adequate facilities, qualified coaches, encouragement and organised talent-discovery programmes.
He emphasised the need for an inclusive grassroots sports system that would provide equal opportunities for children in rural communities, public schools, underserved areas and different socioeconomic backgrounds.
The presidential aide maintained that a child’s sporting prospects should not be determined by geographical location, family background or connections to influential individuals.
He warned that without a coordinated approach to identifying and nurturing young talents, the country could continue to miss opportunities to discover future champions.
Adeyinka said the forthcoming summit was designed to develop a sustainable national framework for identifying, nurturing and supporting sporting talents across the 774 local government areas.
He added that the gathering would seek practical solutions to the challenges affecting grassroots sports administration rather than focus solely on speeches and ceremonial activities.
A major objective, he explained, was to move away from fragmented talent-discovery initiatives towards a coordinated national structure connecting school and community competitions with clubs, national competitions and international sporting opportunities.
The two-day summit will deliberate on five key areas: sports participation, talent development, infrastructure, the sports economy and international pathways.
Adeyinka expressed optimism that the recommendations from the summit would provide a roadmap for strengthening grassroots sports development, expanding youth participation and positioning sports as a viable contributor to Nigeria’s economic and social development.
He called on relevant stakeholders to support the initiative and work collectively towards building a sustainable grassroots sports system capable of identifying and developing talents across the country.
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