Sports
NFF Election: Lagos State throws weight behind Akinwunmi Candidature
The State of Excellence, Lagos State has thrown its weight on the Lagos State Football Association Chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi on his ambition to become the next Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President.
This was made known by Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, Gbenga Omotosho, who was one of the dignitaries at the Seyi Akinwunmi declaration for NFF President said the state was proud of his candidature and his vision and mission to lift Nigeria football.
According to him, Lagos State is proud of you and what you stand for. We are convinced that with your zeal, experience and candor, you will take Nigeria football to where it ought to be when you become the President.
“Speaking at the event, the First Vice President of the NFF, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi on Saturday promised to give his all in an attempt to take football to greater heights in the country.Akinwunmi who was speaking at Bagauda Kaltho Media Centre in Alausa, Lagos, during his declaration for NFF Presidency election stressed that he was well-equipped for the job based on his experience and various positions held in the running of football in the country.
Akinwunmi said: “I have high respect for all others contesting for the same position but no one can boast of the kind of experience I have over the years in the game.
“I am well equipped because from the bottom, I climbed up the ladder with wealth of experiences in various areas of the game. I am ready to bring my all to make the game get better.
”The Lagos Football Association Chairman also added he would use his four cardinal pillar programme to run the game.
“The four pillars are Grassroots Development, Business of football, Infrastructure and Technology. I will now use these to actualize my 11 strategic actions for the development of the game.
“It is important to think about the schools and the grassroots for us to move forward. We will have National Finals which will see football competitions at the state and zonal levels.
The FAs will be empowered in concrete terms to stage events and create competition among the youth”.
League Reforms, youth development, entrepreneurship, Inclusion, Life after retirement, Girls and Women football, transparency and national team administration are some of the strategic plans of Akinwunmi.
Earlier, President of Nigeria Referees Association, Tade Azeez, noted that Akinwunmi had all it takes to take the game to another level in Nigeria.
Sports
NSC Disburses Another ₦300m Training Grants to 31 Elite Athletes Ahead of 2028 Olympic Games
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has disbursed approximately ₦300 million in quarterly training grants to more than 31 Nigerian elite athletes, providing early boost to the country’s preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The latest payment marks another milestone in the Commission’s efforts to strengthen athletes’ welfare and ensure sustained preparations for major international competitions under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The latest disbursement is the fifth since the introduction of the quarterly training grants policy in 2025 through the NSC’s Elite and Podium Board, and the third payment made in 2026.
With the latest payment, the Commission has now disbursed more than ₦1 billion in training grants to Nigerian elite athletes over the past two years.
The initiative provides quarterly grants of $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 to athletes, depending on their performance and eligibility under the scientific performance indicators established by the Elite and Podium Board.
The policy has been widely welcomed by some of the country’s leading athletes, who have described it as a game changer that has significantly improved their preparations for international competitions by providing consistent financial support for their training needs.
Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, said the initiative reflected the Commission’s commitment to building a sustainable system for sporting success through deliberate investment in athletes.
“There are no accidental successes in sports. This is why the Commission has prioritised the welfare and wellbeing of our athletes as a critical part of our strategy for scientific podium success,” Hon, Olopade said.
He said the training grants were among the key mandates given to the Commission’s leadership by President Tinubu to ensure that Nigerian athletes receive the financial support needed to compete effectively at the highest level.
“I am particularly glad that we have been able to institute this athletes’ training grants policy because it is one of the core mandates Mr President gave to Mallam Shehu Dikko and me, to ensure that we put money in the pockets of Nigerian athletes and prepare them adequately for international competitions like the Olympics.”
“We can only get the best out of our athletes when we take care of them properly. By doing so, they will wear the Green and White of our country with pride and dignity. This is why Mr President has continued to support every policy we have introduced to revamp the sports sector,” he said.
Hon. Olopade added that sustained financial support would enable athletes to concentrate on their training without the distractions of financial uncertainty.
“Our athletes need this money to stay focused on their training so they are not distracted in their preparations for major competitions. And we must not forget that when we take care of our athletes, they will take care of the country with medals,” he added.
The impact of the training grants has continued to reflect in Nigeria’s recent performances at international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the country emerged as Africa’s leading nation.
The performances of athletes such as Samuel Ogazi and Nathaniel Ezekiel, who broke world records, further highlighted the benefits of sustained investment in elite sports development.
Team Nigeria’s impressive outing at the 2025 Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia also underscored the importance of consistent support for athletes as the country intensifies preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The NSC said the training grants remain a central component of its strategy to strengthen Nigeria’s elite sports system, improve international competitiveness and deliver sustained podium success at major global competitions.
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