The Federal Government has officially signed the hosting agreement for the 2027 African School Games, paving the way for Abuja to host the second edition of the continental youth event. The signing ceremony took place in Abuja on Wednesday, with officials from the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and Nigeria's National Sports Commission (NSC) in attendance. NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko described the event as a milestone for Nigerian sports and a reflection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's vision to revamp the nation's sporting culture. He emphasized that school sports form the foundation of grassroots development and cited the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) initiative at the National Sports Festival as evidence of Nigeria's commitment. The IJA programme, introduced by Dikko and NSC Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade, has been integrated into the festival as the 38th state. Dikko assured ANOCA that Nigeria would deliver a world-class event, referencing past successes such as COJA and the U-18 and U-20 CAA Athletics Championships held in 2023. Olopade affirmed that hosting the Games aligns with the NSC's core mandate and expressed confidence in the organizing team led by Lekan Abari, chairman of the Local Organising Committee. ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf commended the Nigerian government and NSC leadership for their dedication, stating that the Games would give African youth hope for a brighter future. The event is set to bring together young athletes from across the continent in a multi-sport competition focused on school-level talent. Infrastructure development and youth engagement remain central to Nigeria's preparations. No specific dates for the Games were announced during the signing.
Nigeria is hosting a continental school sports event but has not yet named any participating African nations or confirmed venues. The promise of a world-class Games rests on past events like COJA and the 2023 U-18 and U-20 CAA Championships, which were held without Nigerian athletes winning top overall honors. Abari's organizing team has been praised by ANOCA, though the source does not detail its structure or track record. No African or Nigerian athlete is mentioned in connection with the Games.
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