President of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), Ademola Aare, has vowed to strengthen the domestic rugby scene following the Stallions’ 7th-place finish at the just-concluded Africa Men’s Rugby Sevens Championship in Cape Town, South Africa.
Despite competing against the continent’s top rugby nations, including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, Nigeria struggled to impose itself consistently throughout the tournament.
Read Also: Ikenna Ferdinand Returns To Levski Sofia After Kryvbas Loan Ends Without Permanent Deal
Aare described the team’s performance as encouraging but acknowledged the urgent need to reinforce grassroots development and expand the player base from local leagues.
“Our performance showed promise, but we need more players from the domestic scene, a functional local league, and increased funding to compete at a higher level,” Aare stated.
He emphasized that while the team’s progress is commendable, relying heavily on players based abroad will not bring sustainable success. The NRFF plans to relaunch the National Rugby League later this year and introduce regional tournaments to discover and nurture homegrown talent.
Nigeria’s participation in the Africa Sevens was part of a broader strategy to position the nation as a strong force in rugby across the continent. The competition served as a qualifier for future international tournaments, and Aare believes that with the right investments and policies, Nigeria can reach that level.
“The boys did well considering our challenges. But we need consistency and structure. Rugby is growing in Nigeria, and it’s time we matched that growth with institutional support,” he added.
He called on corporate sponsors, government bodies, and stakeholders to back the federation’s renewed domestic agenda, saying that rugby has the potential to become one of Nigeria’s most competitive sports internationally.
The NRFF is expected to release a revised strategic roadmap by the end of July 2025 to guide its long-term development and pathway to Olympic qualification
, Ademola Aare, has vowed to strengthen the domestic rugby scene following){kind=link}