Sports
NRFF Launches Nationwide Initiative to Empower 3,000 Girls Through Rugby Rising Play
The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation is setting the stage for a revolution in girls’ sports by targeting 5,000 young players across the country. The inaugural phase of the Rugby Rising Play (TI Rugby) program kicked off in schools nationwide, marking an exhilarating start to week one.
The first week’s training sessions dazzled participants with dynamic drills including Catch and Release, Try Scoring Race, Raggy Tag, and BulletBall—engaging activities that sparked massive enthusiasm across the nation. Schools responded in full force, with impressive numbers reported from:
Methodist Girls High School, Abia State – 101 girlsState Primary School Eneka, Port Harcourt, Rivers State – 26 girlsAfugiwi Memorial Girl School, Abia State – 82 girlsComprehensive High School, Zaria, Kaduna State – 30 girlsThe Tend Ril Montessori School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State – 37 girlsOgida Model School, Benin, Edo State – 47 girlsGovernment Girls College, Kano State – 32 girlsAKCC Girls, Kano State – 35 girlsAsero Girls College, Abeokuta, Ogun State – 40 girlsMimshack Academy, Nbawsi Isialangwa North, Abia State – 25 girlsMabuga Primary School, Bauchi State – 35 girlsGovernment Girls College Makurdi, Benue State – 28 girlsRariya Primary School, Bauchi State – 15 girlsUniversity of Ilorin Secondary School, Ilorin, Kwara State – 45 girls.
Project supervisor Wuraola Hussein expressed her delight at the overwhelming response:”I am thrilled with the enthusiasm we’ve seen so far. The reports coming in from across the country are proof of our coaches’ dedication and the kids’ eagerness to learn. Their passion is truly contagious.”
Meanwhile, Federation President Dr. Ademola Are lauded World Rugby for recognizing Nigeria’s potential despite stiff competition from other African nations. “This endorsement means the world is noticing the efforts we’re making to grow the game. We won’t stop here—we will continue to create an enabling environment for our coaches, referees, and more youth to embrace rugby.”
With such a vibrant start, the NRFF is well on its way to transforming the landscape of girls’ rugby in Nigeria, promising both sporting excellence and lifelong opportunities for thousands of young women.
Sports
AFN COO, Dr Nneka Calls For Increased Investment In Grassroots Athletics, Sports Facilities
By Joel Ajayi
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Operating Officer, COO, Dr Nneka Ikem Anibeze has called on state governments and universities across the country to invest in athletics facilities and grassroots competitions to discover and nurture emerging talents.
Anibeze, who expressed delight at Nigeria’s achievement at the just concluded Youth Olympics where Nigeria won 3 Gold medal in athletic in Dakar, Senegal, said sustained investment in infrastructure, coaching and regular competitions would help the country build a strong pool of homegrown athletes capable of representing Nigeria successfully at international competitions.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Youth Olympic Games, she described Nigeria’s performance as encouraging and unprecedented, expressing satisfaction with the progress being recorded by young athletes.
The Senior Assistant Media & Publicity to the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Anibeze particularly commended the National Sports Commission (NSC) for creating opportunities for athletes to participate in international competitions, noting that exposure to major championships was essential for their development.
According to her, taking athletes to competitions, including the youth championships in Oregon, has helped expose young talents to international standards and provided valuable experience for those travelling outside Nigeria for the first time.
Anibeze noted that although some athletes were still developing, their performances demonstrated the benefits of regular international exposure and the need to sustain the momentum.
She said: “I feel very happy that this is happening in our time. It is unprecedented, and I am particularly delighted that we are beginning to see the results of these efforts.
“We must also appreciate the National Sports Commission for making it possible for our athletes to be exposed and given more competitions to participate in.”
The AFN COO stressed the need for Nigeria to look beyond athletes based abroad and deliberately develop the enormous athletic potential within the country.
She maintained that Nigeria had abundant homegrown talents who could compete at the highest level if provided with the right opportunities, facilities and support systems.
Anibeze explained that the federation was working towards securing sponsorship for more competitions, including all-comers meets, grassroots championships and school sports programmes.
Also She stated that plans were underway to organise more intermediate and grassroots competitions in Lagos and other parts of the country, particularly next year, to expand the talent discovery network.
According to her, such competitions would provide opportunities for young athletes to demonstrate their abilities and progress through the national athletics development structure.
She identified inadequate sporting facilities as one of the major challenges confronting athletics development in Nigeria, urging state governors to construct standard running tracks and mini-stadia in their respective states.
“If we have more tracks in our communities, people will not have to wait until they come to Abuja before they can train and compete.
“You can imagine that the girl who just performed was fine-tuned within two or three weeks. If she had access to better facilities and a good coach, the sky would be her limit,” she said.
Anibeze also urged universities to prioritise sports infrastructure, citing the University of Oregon in the United States as an example of how educational institutions could contribute to the development of world-class athletes.
She said Nigerian universities could build athletics tracks to support students with sporting potential, adding that stronger university sports programmes would also improve the country’s representation at the World University Games.
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