NRFF Targets Olympic Dream, Partners National Institute for Sports on Coaching, Grassroots Development
Oru Leonard
The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), has commenced discussions with the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Lagos, on a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating rugby development, improving coaching education, and expanding grassroots participation across Nigeria.
The proposed collaboration was the focus of a courtesy visit by an NRFF delegation to the Institute’s Lagos campus, where both organisations explored opportunities to work together in coaching education, technical development, talent identification, and grassroots sports promotion.
As a demonstration of its commitment to the partnership, the Federation donated rugby balls and other sporting equipment to support the NIS Coaches Olympics, one of the activities lined up for the Institute’s forthcoming Students’ Week. Both parties also discussed strategies to increase investment in grassroots sports and create sustainable pathways for young Nigerians to participate in organised rugby.
Speaking on behalf of the NRFF President, Mr. Azeez Ladipo said rugby has witnessed remarkable growth in Nigeria, revealing that the sport is now actively played in 20 states, with over 3,000 children and teenagers aged between 10 and 18 participating in non-contact rugby programmes.
He disclosed that the Federation is targeting 10,000 young participants before the end of the year as part of its grassroots expansion initiative.
Ladipo also highlighted Nigeria’s rise from 24th to seventh in the African rugby rankings, describing it as evidence of the Federation’s sustained investment in the sport. He added that the NRFF is working towards qualifying Nigeria for the rugby event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
To achieve that goal, he proposed the introduction of professional rugby coaching and technical courses at the National Institute for Sports, enabling Nigerian coaches to obtain internationally recognised certifications and strengthen the country’s technical capacity.
Responding on behalf of the Director-General of the Institute, Registrar Mr. Belmond Benson welcomed the initiative, describing the proposed collaboration as timely and beneficial to both institutions.
He reaffirmed the Institute’s commitment to promoting coaching excellence, capacity building, research, and sports development in line with its national mandate.
Also speaking, the Institute’s Visiting Professor, Prof. Fasun, stressed the need to expand rugby’s visibility at the grassroots by educating athletes, coaches, and enthusiasts on the rules of the game through instructional videos and other learning resources.
The NRFF delegation was led by Mr. Azeez Ladipo on behalf of the Federation’s President, Dr. Ademola Are, while the team included Orji Amarachi Favour, an NRFF member and student coach at the National Institute for Sports.
The meeting was attended by the Institute’s management, led by Registrar Mr. Belmond Benson, representing Director-General/Chief Executive Officer H.E. Comrade Philip Shaibu, alongside Prof. Fasun and members of the Students’ Union Government.
The meeting ended with both organisations agreeing to continue consultations towards a formal partnership. They resolved to develop Memoranda of Understanding where necessary to institutionalise the collaboration, with the shared objective of strengthening sports education, expanding coaching opportunities, and advancing grassroots rugby development across Nigeria.
