A four-member inspection team from the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) has arrived in Nigeria to assess facilities ahead of the upcoming Africa U-18 and U-20 Athletics Championships, scheduled to take place in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State in Southwest Nigeria.
The delegates began arriving on Wednesday, with the final members of the team touching down on Thursday.
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During their visit, the CAA officials will inspect the MKO Abiola Stadium in Kuto, Abeokuta, along with hotels and medical facilities designated for athletes and officials participating in the event.
President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Tonobok Okowa, confirmed that the inspection team will also attend the opening ceremony of the 22nd National Sports Festival before departing the country.
Chief Okowa, who is also a Vice President of the CAA, explained that he has excused himself from the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) due to his multiple responsibilities during the championship.
“First and foremost, I’m an executive member of CAA as well as the leader of Team Nigeria to the competition. Since CAA is the owner of the event, it would not be appropriate for me to serve on the LOC, especially considering how demanding and critical my roles are to the success of the championship,” he stated.
The former Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission added that he personally nominated all AFN board members included in the LOC list announced recently.
“All the AFN members on the LOC list were submitted by me. If any board member is not listed, it’s because they are involved in key preparations for Team Nigeria’s performance at the championship,” Okowa clarified.
He also noted a precedent: during the 2018 Senior Africa Athletics Championship in Asaba, Delta State, the then AFN President, Ibrahim Shehu Gusau, was similarly not part of the LOC, having been focused on Team Nigeria’s management.
Abeokuta was confirmed as the host city for the 3rd edition of the CAA African U18/U20 Combined Championships, now scheduled for July 16–20, 2025. The event is expected to attract over 500 of the continent’s top young athletes.
The Confederation of African Athletics explained that the competitions, originally set to be held in Oran, Algeria, were relocated for “various reasons.”
CAA had initially granted the hosting rights to Madagascar during its Council Meeting in Douala, Cameroon, in June 2024, before moving them to Algeria in early 2025. The latest and final relocation brings the event to Nigeria.
In its official statement, the CAA confirmed:
“In agreement with Nigeria, these events will now be held in Abeokuta City, Ogun State. The originally scheduled dates remain unchanged, with only slight adjustments.”
Key Dates for the 2025 CAA African U18/U20 Championships:
July 13, 2025 – CAA Council Meeting
July 14–15, 2025 – CAA Congress
July 15, 2025 – Technical Meeting
July 16–20, 2025 – 3rd African U18/U20 Combined Championships
With preparations underway and official inspections ongoing, Abeokuta is poised to host one of Africa’s premier youth athletics events.
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