Masai Ujiri, the co-founder of Giants of Africa and President of Basketball Operations for the Toronto Raptors, has made a pointed appeal to Nigerian officials and institutional leaders over the country’s ongoing struggle to keep public infrastructure in working condition.
The Raptors executive and former Nigeria international said governments at every level should focus on maintaining and rehabilitating existing assets rather than repeatedly starting brand-new projects that later fall into disrepair.
Quick facts
- Masai Ujiri is a co-founder of Giants of Africa and President of Basketball Operations for the Toronto Raptors.
- He urged Nigerian authorities to prioritize restoring and maintaining facilities instead of launching new ones that deteriorate.
- Ujiri spoke at the commissioning of the 50th basketball court built under the Giants of Africa “Built Within” initiative.
- The event took place at King’s College in Lagos.
- The foundation’s wider goal is to build 100 modern basketball courts across Africa to support youth empowerment through sport.
- Ujiri criticized the dilapidated state of King’s College infrastructure despite the new court.
- He renewed criticism of the federal government’s handling of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, which has been largely derelict and missing major events for over a decade.
- The new court is expected to benefit King’s College students and local youth training programmes.
Ujiri delivered the message during the official commissioning of the 50th basketball court connected to Giants of Africa’s “Built Within” programme, taking place at the historic King’s College in Lagos.
The court forms part of a wider, multi-year campaign by the foundation aimed at delivering 100 modern basketball courts across the continent, using sport as a route to youth empowerment.
New court, old campus problems
Even as he marked the milestone, Ujiri did not hold back in describing what he called a troubling mismatch between the fresh sports infrastructure and the condition of the surrounding campus.
“It is a thing of joy and fulfilment to have the 50th court in our mission of providing 100 courts around Africa,” Ujiri said. “However, I must state emphatically that the infrastructure of this prestigious school is unacceptable. A modern basketball facility does not align with the decaying structures I have seen here today.”
He then escalated the pressure on those responsible for the school and wider government oversight. “I challenge those saddled with the administration of the school and the government to take urgent action to uplift this institution,” Ujiri added. “We understand this is one of the oldest schools in Lagos, but old structures must be modernized.”
Ujiri, who helped steer the Toronto Raptors to an NBA Championship as a franchise executive, has repeatedly used his public profile to argue for stronger sports infrastructure across Nigeria.
In this latest push, he returned to a long-running concern about the federal government’s treatment of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos—an iconic venue that has been left largely abandoned and stripped of major events for more than ten years.
“These buildings [at King’s College] are structurally sound. What they simply need are facelifts, and this applies to many facilities across Nigeria,” Ujiri said. “How can the National Stadium be left in a state of disrepair for years?
“We are Nigerians, the largest nation of the Black race, and we must show leadership. When Nigeria moves forward, the rest of Africa follows. Sports is a major economy, and we must begin to treat it as such.”
The newly commissioned basketball court on Lagos Island is expected to serve students at King’s College while also supporting youth training activities in the local community.
Sports advocates have used Ujiri’s comments to renew calls for wider improvements in how stadiums and other sporting institutions are managed and maintained.
