Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Senior Special Assistant on Sports, Honourable Damilare Orimoloye, has praised the approval of flag football as a demonstration sport at the upcoming 22nd National Sports Festival, describing it as a historic breakthrough for youth engagement and grassroots sports development in Nigeria.
The announcement was made official through a statement signed by Mrs. Thecla Opara, Director (NSFPS) and Secretary of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) for the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games Ogun 2024, scheduled to hold from May 16 to 30 in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Reacting to the development, Honourable Orimoloye said:
“This is a very great news. I am happy and delighted about this and I’m celebrating it on behalf of Nigerian youth. I was at the arena recently and with what I saw there, this sport is something truly special. With the action the National Sports Commission has taken, we are now getting there. Thank you to the National Sports Commission, thank you to the leader of Flag Football—he never gave up—and this is only the beginning.”
The approval is a major win for the Nigeria Flag Football Federation (NFFF), under the leadership of Azeez Amida, who has taken bold strides in building a structured, professional, and inclusive flag football ecosystem across the nation.
Special appreciation has also been extended to the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, for their commitment to supporting emerging sports with strong grassroots appeal.
The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) was also lauded for its early recognition and endorsement of the sport, further bolstering its legitimacy and future growth in Africa and globally.
As flag football prepares to hit the national stage during Nigeria’s biggest multi-sport festival, the momentum behind this fast-growing sport continues to build—with excitement, recognition, and opportunity at every turn.
