Sports

Nigeria’s Sports business will be built around Cricket-Uyi Akpata

Published

4 years ago

September 28, 2022

…As ICC applauds Nigeria’s facilities thrives

Joel Ajayi

The President of Nigeria Cricket Federation NCF Uyi Akpata, has stated that very soon business of sports in the country will be built around the game of cricket courtesy of initiative embark upon that is translating to growth and development of the game in the country.

He gave this assurance during the three-day tour of cricket facilities in Nigeria, by ICC delegation ahead of U-19 World Cup Africa Division Two Qualifiers inside the Moshood Abiola Stadium Abuja.

Akpata, said with the level of development of the game across the region, Nigeria sports business will be built around game of cricket in the country.

“The ICC visit gives us an opportunity to allow us to refresh our strategy and have new aspirations to grow the sport.

“We are saying that we want to reach 250,000 people but maybe after this visit, we will potentially reach 500,000 or one million people yearly.

“In terms of potentials, we need to expose our coaches and players to real opportunities and more.

“This shows that we are making significant progress and it is an opportunity for the rest of the world to see what Nigeria and other associate countries can do when given the opportunity.”

In his reaction the representative of the International Cricket Council after tour of cricket facilities in in Lagos, Edo and Abuja, ICC General Manager (Development William Glenwright said he is satisfied with the great improvement in the facilities, he then assured that more ICC tournaments would be hosted by Nigeria.

“This is an incredible facility to host a World Cup qualifiers and I am very impressed.

“We are incredibly excited and I think that we can partner with the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) to do a lot more so that cricket can achieve its extraordinary potential in Nigeria.”

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Sports

Tinubu, Fashola, Governors, UNESCO, Sports Leaders to Headline National Grassroots Sports Summit

Published

6 hours ago

October 29, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The stage is being set for a landmark gathering at the Presidential Villa as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, and leading figures from government, sports administration and international development feature in the proposed opening-day programme of the National Grassroots Sports Development Summit 2026.

In a statement signed by Thursday by the Chairperson Media Sub-com National Grassroot Sports Summit Dr. (Mrs.) Kehinde Ajayi stated that, the two-day Summit, scheduled for November 18–19, 2026, at the Banquet Hall, State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja, is being organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye.

With the theme “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development,” the gathering seeks to produce practical solutions to Nigeria’s longstanding challenges in talent discovery, infrastructure, funding, coaching and athlete development.

The opening day, Wednesday, November 18, promises high-level engagement, with President Tinubu listed as Special Guest of Honour, while Fashola is scheduled to deliver a keynote address.

Also featuring in the Day One programme is Dr. Tayo Aduloju, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), whose organization has been engaged as technical partner to help translate discussions into a workable development roadmap.

Other personalities and institutions on the opening-day lineup include the Chairman and Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko and Hon. Bukola Olopade; the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; the President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON); and the Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Nigeria.

Also listed are Barrister Enitan Oshodi, President of the African Table Tennis Federation; the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee; and Dr. Musa Nakorji of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Research Department.

The involvement of these personalities reflects the Summit’s emphasis on connecting sports development with economic planning, education, grassroots governance, international cooperation and private-sector investment.

Adeboye described the gathering as an opportunity to move Nigerian sports beyond isolated achievements towards a coordinated national development system.

“The real question is not whether Nigeria has sporting talent.
We know we have talent in abundance. The question is how we build a system that discovers, nurtures and supports that talent consistently, from our communities and schools to the international stage,” he said.

He stressed that the participation of state governments, local councils, development institutions and sports administrators would be critical to producing lasting outcomes.

The Summit will continue on Thursday, November 19, with further stakeholder engagements aimed at developing actionable recommendations for sustainable grassroots sports development with preparations intensifying, organizers are confident that the gathering will provide a defining platform for strengthening the foundation of Nigerian sports and expanding opportunities for young people nationwide.

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