Abuja, November 10, 2025 — Senate President Godswill Akpabio has renewed calls for the revival of grassroots football development in Nigeria, warning that the nation’s football future could remain uncertain unless deliberate efforts are made to discover and nurture young talents nationwide.
Akpabio made the remarks in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the second edition of the Senate President’s U-18 Unity Cup, a youth football competition he initiated to promote early talent discovery.
According to a statement from his media aide, the tournament, which kicked off at the Old Parade Ground in Garki, Abuja, features 21 teams — 16 male and five female — drawn from across the country.
Represented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports Development, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, Akpabio said the competition was designed to rebuild the grassroots system that once produced some of Nigeria’s football legends.
“With these young men showcasing their talents, this is the future of Nigeria. There is no way you can grow sports if we don’t go to the grassroots,” he said. “In times past, the late Keshis, the Okochas, the Kanus, the Amokachis, the Ikpebas, and the Tijani Babangidas, who brought glory to Nigeria, were discovered in tournaments like this.”
Akpabio also noted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has shown renewed commitment to sports development and urged sports administrators to take advantage of the opportunity.
“I have seen tremendous signal from President Bola Tinubu in putting sports on the front burner. Therefore, sports administrators must key into this opportunity the President has shown in the last two years. It should not be business as usual,” he added.
He assured that the U-18 Unity Cup would be sustained annually to help groom future stars capable of representing Nigeria in international competitions.
The Tournament Coordinator, Hon. John Bassey Ekpenyong, commended Akpabio for his commitment to grassroots sports, noting that the Unity Cup promotes youth development, national unity, and sportsmanship.
In the opening match, Jaguar Football Club of Abia defeated Amahus Football Club of Yobe 1–0. The competition continues this week in Abuja.
Nigeria’s football once thrived on grassroots structures in the 1980s and 1990s, producing greats like Rashidi Yekini, Stephen Keshi, Nwankwo Kanu, Daniel Amokachi, and Austin Okocha. However, years of neglect, poor funding, and the collapse of school sports have weakened the system — a trend Akpabio’s initiative now aims to reverse.
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