Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Chairman/CEO Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has called on Nigerian athletes abroad to invest in youth development across Africa. She made the appeal during a meeting with Ejimofor "E.J." Anosike, a Nigerian basketball player and co-founder of the Meta Africa Sports Foundation, and his colleague Ibrahim Famouke Doumbia. The visit took place at NIDCOM's office in Abuja on Monday, according to a press statement signed by Violet Nwosu of the Commission's Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit.
Dabiri-Erewa commended the Foundation's work in mentoring young Africans and supporting them through sports, calling it a model for diaspora engagement. She said she hopes more professionals in the diaspora will follow suit by mentoring youth in sports, education and empowerment.
Anosike, who has won multiple accolades including the NBL Championship in 2026 and Finals MVP the same year, described giving back as a personal responsibility. "It took a village to raise me to where I am today. This is my own way of giving back to Nigeria and helping young people discover their potential," he said. He noted the Foundation's focus on sports, education and life skills, saying it has mentored hundreds of young Africans over the past four to five years.
The Foundation has donated nearly 3,000 pairs of basketball shoes across Africa, with about 400 given to young Nigerians. Over 10 young Africans supported by the initiative are now playing basketball in the United States. The Foundation also runs English language training alongside its sports programmes.
Doumbia, a professional basketball player and co-founder, said the group opened an academy in Mali last year that offers training in sports, education, agriculture and entrepreneurship. Anosike announced plans to launch Under-16 and Under-18 basketball tournaments in Nigeria later this year to identify grassroots talent. He urged other diaspora athletes to invest in African sports, calling the continent's sports industry a growing sector with significant potential.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa calls for diaspora athletes to invest in African youth while the Meta Africa Sports Foundation, not government-backed programmes, delivers mentorship, shoes and US opportunities for young players. Anosike's Foundation has already placed over 10 Africans in US basketball, a scale of impact no state-led youth sports initiative has matched in recent memory. Nigerians are being developed by private diaspora efforts, not national systems meant to nurture talent. The gap between official rhetoric and on-ground delivery grows wider each time a private athlete donates shoes while ministries make speeches.
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