The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s endorsement of the forthcoming National Grassroots Sports Development Summit 2026 as a powerful demonstration of his administration’s dedication to repositioning Nigerian sports activities from the grassroots.
Adeboye mentioned the resolution to host a two-day nationwide dialog on sports activities growth at the Banquet Hall, State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja, underscores the significance the President attaches to constructing sustainable constructions succesful of remodeling Nigeria’s sporting future.
The Summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19, 2026, is being organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development below the theme, “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development.”
Speaking on preparations for the occasion, Adeboye mentioned bringing stakeholders collectively at the nation’s seat of energy for 2 days of discussions on grassroots sports activities sends a strong message about the administration’s willpower to deal with longstanding challenges confronting the sector.
“For two days, the Presidential Villa will become a centre for serious conversations about the future of Nigerian sports. This is not an ordinary development. It shows that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not joking with sports and understands that meaningful reform must begin from the foundation,” Adeboye acknowledged.
He defined that the Summit is designed to establish structural weaknesses affecting grassroots sports activities, study sensible options and develop a coordinated roadmap for sustainable expertise discovery and growth throughout Nigeria.
According to the Presidential aide, the gathering will entice members from inside and out of doors the nation, together with sports activities directors, authorities representatives, federations, coaches, former athletes, company organisations, growth companions and different stakeholders.
“We want to bring the people who understand the challenges and those who have the capacity to provide solutions under one roof. Our objective is not simply to discuss the problems but to produce a practical roadmap that can change the direction of grassroots sports development in Nigeria,” he mentioned.
Adeboye additionally disclosed that the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has been engaged as a technical accomplice for the Summit, describing its involvement as an essential step in the direction of guaranteeing that discussions are structured round proof, sensible suggestions and measurable outcomes.
He famous that the programme would study crucial points, together with sports activities infrastructure, college sports activities, funding, teaching growth, private-sector funding, expertise identification and sustainable development pathways for younger athletes.
The SSA confused that Nigeria’s sporting future relies on constructing a system that constantly discovers and nurtures abilities relatively than counting on occasional particular person breakthroughs.
“Nigeria has the talent. What we need is the structure. We must move from discovering champions by chance to producing them through a deliberate and sustainable development system,” Adeboye added.
He known as on sports activities stakeholders, company organisations and growth companions to help the Summit and contribute meaningfully to its aims.
“November 18 and 19 must become a defining moment for grassroots sports development in Nigeria. We want a Summit whose impact will be felt long after the discussions have ended,” he concluded.
