By Aderonke Ojo
The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has initiated discussions with the National Institute for Sports (NIS) during a courtesy visit to the Lagos campus on a proposed strategic partnership aimed at advancing sports development, coaching education, and grassroots participation in Nigeria.
The visit focused on exploring areas of collaboration between both institutions, particularly in coaching education, technical development, and grassroots sports promotion. Demonstrating its commitment to the proposed partnership, the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation donated rugby balls and other sporting equipment to support the NIS Coaches Olympics being organized as part of activities in the forthcoming students’ week. Discussions also centered on increasing investment in grassroots sports development, talent identification, and creating sustainable pathways for young Nigerians to participate in organized sports.
Speaking on behalf of the Federation, Mr. Azeez Ladipo highlighted the significant progress rugby has made in Nigeria over the past few years. He disclosed that the sport is now actively played in 20 states across the federation, with more than 3,000 young Nigerians between the ages of 10 and 18 currently participating in non-contact rugby. According to him, the Federation aims to increase that figure to 10,000 before the end of the year as part of its grassroots expansion programme.
Mr. Ladipo further noted that Nigeria’s impressive rise from 24th to 7th in the African rugby rankings reflects the Federation’s sustained commitment to developing the sport. He explained that the NRFF has also set its sights on qualifying Nigeria for the rugby event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. To support this ambition, he proposed that the partnership with the National Institute for Sports should include the introduction of professional rugby coaching and technical courses at the Institute, enabling Nigerian coaches to earn internationally recognized qualifications and strengthen the country’s technical capacity in the sport.
Responding on behalf of the Director General, the Registrar, Mr. Belmond Benson, expressed appreciation to the Federation for choosing to engage the National Institute for Sports as a strategic partner. He emphasized that formal collaboration between the two institutions would be mutually beneficial, noting that the Institute remains committed to supporting initiatives that promote coaching excellence, capacity building, research, and sports development in line with its national mandate.
In his remarks, the Institute’s Visiting Professor, Prof. Fasun, underscored the importance of expanding the visibility of rugby at the grassroots level. He stressed the need to educate aspiring athletes, coaches, and sports enthusiasts on the rules and regulations of the game while advocating for the use of instructional video materials and other educational resources to deepen understanding and encourage wider participation across the country.
Representing the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports, H.E. Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Registrar, Mr. Belmond Benson, received the NRFF delegation alongside the Institute’s Visiting Professor, Prof. Fasun. The President of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation, Dr. Ademola Are, was represented by Mr. Azeez Ladipo, while the delegation also included Orji Amarachi Favour, an NRFF member and student coach of the National Institute for Sports. Members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), led by the President, were also present at the meeting.
The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing that the engagement marked the first step towards a long-term institutional partnership. It was agreed that further consultations would be held to define the scope of collaboration, while Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) would be developed where necessary to formalize the relationship. The proposed partnership is expected to strengthen sports education, expand coaching opportunities, and contribute meaningfully to the growth of grassroots sports and rugby development in Nigeria.
