Stakeholders gear up for National Grassroots Sports Development Summit

Twelve state governors are expected to feature at the National Grassroots Sports Development Summit 2026 in Abuja, where stakeholders will seek practical commitments to strengthen sports development at the community level and create clearer pathways for young talents across the country.

The two-day summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19 at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, will bring together government officials, sports administrators, private sector representatives, development partners, academics, coaches, athletes and grassroots practitioners.

Convened by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeyinka Adeboye, the summit is themed “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development”.

It aims to move conversations about grassroots sports beyond policy discussions towards practical action by creating opportunities for stakeholders to exchange ideas, build partnerships and develop strategies to strengthen the pathway from community participation to elite sporting opportunities.

One of the major highlights will be the Governors’ Round Table, themed “Sub-National Leadership in Grassroots Sports Implementation”. The session will bring together 12 state governors to discuss how to translate policy commitments into practical grassroots sports programmes across their respective states.

The governors listed for the session are AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos.

Others are Babagana Zulum of Borno, Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Alex Otti of Abia, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Monday Okpebholo of Edo and Uba Sani of Kaduna.

The initiative recognises that sustainable sporting excellence cannot be achieved through federal interventions alone, particularly when thousands of young talents depend on facilities, competitions and development opportunities within their states and communities.

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According to Adeboye, state governments remain indispensable partners in building an effective national talent-development structure.

The summit will feature seven sessions covering five broad areas, including school and community sports, youth participation, women and girls in sports, and inclusive access to sporting opportunities.

Discussions will also focus on talent identification, coaching, scouting, competitions, athlete welfare and sports science, as well as the development, rehabilitation and sustainable management of grassroots sports facilities.

Other areas of focus will include the sports economy and international pathways for athletes seeking opportunities beyond Nigeria.

The programme will feature keynote addresses, plenary sessions, technical discussions, stakeholder roundtables, investment dialogue and engagements with young people and athletes.

Among the speakers expected to lead discussions are Nigeria Cricket Federation President, Uyi Akpata; former Nigeria Football Federation board member, Seyi Akinwunmi; and Confederation of African Football Secretary-General, Samson Adamu, alongside other sports administrators and stakeholders.

The organisers expect the summit to produce actionable recommendations for expanding sporting opportunities across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.