2-Day Villa Summit Signals Tinubu’s Seriousness About Sports – Adeboye

President Bola Tinubu’s decision to host a two-day grassroots sports summit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, demonstrates his commitment to developing the sector, Senior Special Assistant on Grassroots Sports Development, Anthony Adeyinka Adeboye, has said.

Adeboye said the summit, scheduled for 18 and 19 November at the Aso Rock Banquet Hall, would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to identify the challenges confronting Nigerian sports and develop practical solutions.

Preparations for the summit have intensified in recent weeks, with participants expected from within and outside Nigeria to contribute to discussions on a new roadmap for sports development, particularly at the grassroots level.

“This is the first time Aso Rock will be waking up and talking sports for two days. It has never happened, and that shows the importance the president attaches to sports,” Adeboye said.

He explained that the summit was designed to address the structural challenges affecting Nigerian sports from the grassroots and establish a framework for sustainable development.

“The sports summit is aimed at unearthing the problems of sports from the very foundation and proffering solutions as to what to do moving forward.

“And we are bringing under the same roof stakeholders who would, at the end of the day, come up with a roadmap that would change the face of our sports,” he added.

The summit is expected to bring together sports administrators, policymakers, development experts and other stakeholders to examine issues affecting grassroots participation, talent identification and the development of sporting infrastructure.

Adeboye also disclosed that the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) had been engaged as a technical partner for the event, a move expected to strengthen the policy and economic dimensions of the discussions.

The summit forms part of efforts by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development to establish a framework for identifying and nurturing sporting talent and improving the foundations of Nigerian sports.