President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called on sports administrators across the country to return focus to grassroots football development as the surest way to revive Nigeria’s fading dominance in global football.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the second edition of the 10th Senate President’s U-18 Unity Cup in Abuja, Akpabio urged football managers to identify, nurture, and promote young talents capable of restoring the nation’s glory on the international stage.
The Senate President, represented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports Development, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, pledged that the Unity Cup would henceforth be an annual event designed to discover budding stars and sustain youth interest in sports.
“Sports, particularly football, cannot grow if the grassroots are neglected,” Akpabio said.
“These young men and women showcasing their talents today represent the future of Nigerian football. In the past, legends like Kanu Nwankwo, Jay-Jay Okocha, Daniel Amokachi, and Stephen Keshi were discovered through tournaments like this. We must bring back that era of structured talent discovery,” he added.
He commended President Bola Tinubu’s renewed interest in promoting sports development, urging administrators and stakeholders to seize the opportunity to transform the nation’s sporting sector. “President Tinubu has shown strong commitment to sports revival, and we must not allow it to be business as usual,” Akpabio added.
The Senate President also praised the Grassroots Sports Federation (GRASOF) for their commitment to youth development through sports, describing the U-18 Unity Cup as a symbol of national unity and an investment in the country’s sporting future.
Twenty-one teams—comprising sixteen male and five female squads—from across Nigeria are participating in this year’s competition, which kicked off on Sunday at the Old Parade Ground, Garki, Abuja.
Tournament Coordinator, Hon. John Bassey Ekpenyong, thanked Akpabio for championing youth sports development, noting that the annual event would serve as a springboard for aspiring footballers. “This platform promotes unity, sportsmanship, and national development,” he said. “We believe that under Senator Akpabio’s leadership, this tournament will grow into a flagship event that empowers Nigerian youth for years to come.”
In the opening match, Jaguar Football Club of Abia State edged Amahus Football Club of Yobe 1-0 in a tightly contested encounter. The tournament continues through the week at the Old Parade Ground, showcasing Nigeria’s next generation of football talent.
