The chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2025 Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) U18/U20 Championships, scheduled to take place from 16th to 20th July in Abeokuta, Hon. Bukola Olopade, has assured that financial constraints will not hinder the successful hosting of the event.
Speaking at a world press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Olopade, who also serves as the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), stated that this championship will be remembered as one of the most sponsored events in history.
He highlighted the support from both public and private organisations, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Bank of Industry (BOI), LEDCO, alongside major sponsors such as 7UP and telecommunications giant MTN, who are all collaborating with the NSC to ensure a successful championship.
Olopade attributed this collaboration to the growing confidence of investors in the new leadership of Nigeria’s sports sector. He noted, “When Malam Shehu Dikko assumed office as the chairman of the NSC, he emphasised the importance of hosting more international competitions within our country rather than sending our athletes abroad. The reasons for this are clear: capacity building. Bringing competitions to Nigeria will provide our young athletes with firsthand knowledge of what it takes to become world champions.”
He further explained, “Additionally, it will create wealth for our local small-scale businesses and improve our infrastructure across the country. Traditional sports, such as cricket, and several other sports federations have embraced this idea by bringing their international competitions to Nigeria.”
Olopade expressed gratitude towards Malam Shehu Dikko for securing the championship for Nigeria following Algeria’s withdrawal. “As a native of Abeokuta, this is a significant event for me, especially coming after the recently concluded National Sports Festival held in Abeokuta,” he remarked.
He emphasised the extensive preparations for the event, stating, “A lot of work has gone into this, and we are optimistic about hosting an exceptional championship. The composition of the sub-committees features highly intelligent and capable individuals who have done an outstanding job in preparing for this event. We will provide top-tier accommodation for both athletes and officials at some of the finest school hotel facilities in the country. Pictures and videos of these facilities will be shared for your review.”
“We have sufficient funding to host the event as it will be a well-sponsored championship,” Olopade confirmed.
The LOC chairman noted that approximately 900 athletes and officials from 50 African countries are expected to compete during the five-day event in Abeokuta. “The current count stands at 583 athletes from 34 countries, with additional entries anticipated from Eritrea, Kenya, Ethiopia, and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). Until we receive their entries, I cannot provide the final number of participants,” he explained.
“We are projecting around 900 sportsmen and women to compete in the games, especially considering the expected entries from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria,” Olopade added.
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