Foundation Targets Grassroots Gap In Nigerian Basketball

The DAM Foundation has stepped up its support for grassroots basketball development through infrastructure, competitions and welfare initiatives aimed at creating opportunities for young players across Nigeria.

The foundation, linked to Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, said its approach is based on the need to strengthen the grassroots pathway from which future Nigerian basketball players can emerge.

Abdullahi, who has been involved in basketball for more than a decade, first as a player and later as a supporter of grassroots development, said the country’s basketball challenges at the elite level cannot be addressed without investing in young players.

According to him, talented youngsters need access to functional facilities, regular competitions, mentorship and other opportunities to develop.

His involvement with the sport predates his emergence as Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, having previously played for teams in Kano State and supported basketball teams and communities at grassroots level.

In Kano, Abdullahi supported the construction of a basketball court and sponsored a tournament, including the logistics required to stage the competition.

The DAM Foundation’s grassroots activities also include its annual basketball championship in Okene, Kogi State, which is held every December.

The foundation said the tournament provides young players with an avenue to compete, gain experience and attract attention, while also bringing communities together through basketball.

It added that its interventions extend beyond the court to include medical assistance, scholarships, business grants and other forms of support for young people and vulnerable members of communities.

Employment facilitation and personal welfare assistance have also formed part of the foundation’s programmes, according to the organisation.

In Abuja, Abdullahi has supported the Great Vibes Basketball Foundation (GVBF) team, with the assistance extending to players’ welfare and personal challenges.

He said developing athletes requires attention to both sporting performance and the welfare of the individuals involved.

Infrastructure, he added, remains an important component of grassroots development, with properly maintained basketball courts providing young people with spaces to train, compete and develop their skills.

The foundation’s activities have brought together basketball, youth engagement and community development, with its programmes centred on talent identification, competition, infrastructure, mentorship, welfare and empowerment.

Abdullahi said grassroots basketball should not be viewed solely as a means of producing elite players, but also as a platform for keeping young people engaged and opening pathways to education, employment and other productive opportunities.

The foundation’s position is that a stronger grassroots structure would give more young Nigerians the opportunity to develop their basketball abilities and potentially progress into competitive and professional sport.