Sports
NWFL hosts UTA delegation, set to collaborate to advance Women’s Football Rising initiative
Joel Ajayi
Abuja, November 8, 2023 – The Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) received a delegation from the United Towns Agency for North-South Cooperation (UTA) in Abuja.
The purpose of this meeting was to explore mutual interests and partnership opportunities. The NWFL has been actively engaging with various organizations to foster social, economic, structural, and technical growth within the country’s women’s football league.
The meeting, held at the NWFL headquarters in Wuse Zone 7, Abuja on Wednesday, provided a platform for discussions on strategic collaboration.
Ms. Nkechi Obi, Chairman of the NWFL, warmly welcomed the UTA team, to discuss partnership strategies that would leverage the agency’s resources and expertise to support the development of women’s football.
Ms. Obi expressed her vision for this collaboration, stating, “We are delighted to have hosted the Global General Secretary of the United Towns Agency, Amb Eya Essif. The message is clear: women’s football presents a unique opportunity to advance gender equality, grassroots development, and overall community well-being.”
She continued: “At NWFL, we are committed to promoting football and empowering the girl child. We eagerly anticipate what UTA will bring to the table with the MOU, which we have already drafted and submitted. In no time, we will sign the agreement and embark on programs and initiatives to drive gender equality and community development.”
Ms. Obi was accompanied by NWFL board members, including Alhaja Rukayat Lola Alaya, retired referee Hadiza Musa, Ms Henrietta Ehiobor, and NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Modupe Shabi.
The UTA delegation, led by Eya Essif, the Global Secretary General of the United Towns Agency for North-South Cooperation (UTA), and Princess Abigail Amalaha, the country president of UTA, who represents an organization accredited by the United Nations, based in Geneva, Switzerland.
UTA operates in 110 countries and is involved in a wide range of humanitarian projects, including irrigation systems, electricity, environmental protection, human rights, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Eya Essif emphasized the agency’s commitment to working alongside NWFL to enhance its capacity for resource mobilization and support for gender equality and women’s football development, particularly at the grassroots level. This partnership will encompass financial and technical assistance aimed at strengthening the NWFL’s capabilities, expertise, and resources for the betterment of young girls through football.
Essif highlighted the significant role that UTA can play as a partner in boosting the growth of the women’s league, reaffirming the agency’s dedication to addressing development challenges within women’s football, and aligning with NWFL’s goals.
“We are here to strengthen our partnership with the women in Nigeria and to champion gender equality in football,” the Tunisian-born businesswoman said.
“Our aim is to bridge the existing gaps and make this vision a reality. I am highly optimistic about promoting this cause in Nigeria.”
Also corroborating the stance of Essif, Mrs Amalaha, a renowned Nigerian journalist, said: “Today, we join hands with the Nigeria Women Football League to fortify our relationship between developing nations and to pave the way for development. Our shared mission is to advance women’s football, empower women, and contribute to the progress of our countries.”
Also part of the UTA delegation was Executive Officer, Austin Anene; Project Coordinator, Engr. Patrick Udeme; Protocol/Programme Officer, Oyekunbi Ashamu, and Audio Visual/Information Officer, Collins Peter.
The parties have identified the potential signing of a UTA-NWFL strategic initiative as the next crucial step in their collaborative efforts.
Sports
Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney
Joel Ajayi
The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.
Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.
In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.
The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.
In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.
At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.
According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.
He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.
“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.
Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.
He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.
The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.
He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.
“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.
Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.
The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.
According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.
The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.
It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.
The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.
He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.
“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.
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