The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye, on Thursday received the Secretary General of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC), Chief (Dr.) Michael Shamsu Mustapha, during a strategic meeting held at his office in Abuja.
The high-level engagement focused on strengthening collaboration between continental sports institutions and Nigeria’s grassroots sports development structure in order to promote youth participation, talent discovery, and sustainable sports growth across Africa.
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Speaking during the meeting, Hon. Adeboye emphasized the importance of grassroots sports as the foundation for national and continental sporting excellence, noting that Nigeria remains committed to building structures that will nurture young talents from the community level to the international stage.
“Grassroots sports remain the engine room of sports development in any nation. Our focus is to ensure that young Nigerians across communities are given the opportunity to discover and develop their talents through structured sports programs,” Adeboye stated.
The SSA further highlighted the commitment of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to youth empowerment through sports, adding that his office is actively working with stakeholders to strengthen grassroots sporting initiatives that will positively impact millions of young Nigerians.
“Under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, sports development — especially at the grassroots — is being positioned as a major tool for youth engagement, social development, and national unity,” he added.
In his remarks, Chief (Dr.) Michael Shamsu Mustapha commended the efforts of the SSA’s office in advancing grassroots sports initiatives in Nigeria, describing the office as a strategic platform for discovering the next generation of African sporting talents.
He stressed the importance of collaboration between the African Union Sports Council and national sports development structures to ensure that young athletes across the continent are properly supported and developed.
“Africa is blessed with immense sporting talent, and grassroots sports development is the pathway to unlocking that potential.
Nigeria plays a key role in shaping the future of sports in Africa, and collaboration with the SSA’s office is an important step forward,” Mustapha said.
The meeting also explored opportunities for deeper cooperation in youth sports programs, talent identification, capacity development, and continental sports initiatives that will empower young athletes across Africa.
Both leaders expressed optimism that stronger partnerships between national and continental sports institutions will accelerate the growth of sports and provide more opportunities for African youths to excel on the global stage.
The visit marks another step in the SSA’s ongoing engagements with key sports stakeholders aimed at strengthening grassroots sports development and expanding opportunities for young Nigerian athletes.
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