The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has expressed confidence in Abeokuta’s readiness to host the 2025 Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) U-18 and U-20 Championships.
The event, scheduled to take place from July 16 to July 20 at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, is expected to draw over 900 athletes from across the continent.
Olopade praised the Chairman of the NSC, Shehu Dikko, for stepping in to host the championship after Algeria pulled out.
“We should be grateful to the Chairman of the NSC, Shehu Dikko, for stepping in to host this championship after Algeria pulled out. I can confidently say Abeokuta is ready to host Africa,” Olopade said.
The NSC DG highlighted the growing interest of private sector partners in supporting sports development in Nigeria.
“As of today, 7up and MTN have shown interest in partnering with the commission to host the biggest African youth athletics championships,” he said.
Olopade also noted the significant commitment of FIRS and LEDCO, which have contributed financially to promote the championships.
He emphasized the private sector’s growing role in sports development, citing the success of the recent National Sports Festival in Abeokuta.
“It’s worthy to note that in the past seven months, the private sector has contributed over N12 billion to the growth of sports in Nigeria,” Olopade said.
According to him, the revenue generated from the private sector for the upcoming National Sports Festival in Enugu is expected to surpass that of Ogun State.
“I categorically state that the revenue we have gotten to host the next sports festival in Enugu from the private sector will dwarf that of Ogun State,” Olopade said, underscoring the growing potential of public-private partnerships in sports.
Abeokuta took over as the host city for the championships, after Algeria withdrew from hosting the event.
The championships, scheduled to take place on the original dates with a slight adjustment, will feature over 500 junior athletes from the continent.
A statement released by the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) in May announced that the Council, Congress, and 3rd CAA African U18/U20 Combined Championships, scheduled to take place in Oran, Algeria, “will no longer take place in that country for various reasons”.
“In agreement with Nigeria, these events will now be held in Abeokuta City, Ogun State, located 40km from Lagos. The originally scheduled dates remain unchanged, with a slight adjustment to the dates,” CAA said.
The selection of Abeokuta as the host city is a testament to Nigeria’s capabilities in hosting major international sports events.
With the support of the private sector and the NSC’s commitment to athlete development, Abeokuta is set to deliver another successful championship.
Leave a comment