Nigeria Cricket Federation president Uyi Akpata has restated his ambition to establish cricket among the country’s three leading sports, with grassroots participation, improved infrastructure, elite-player development and commercial alliances forming the basis of the plan.
Four-part plan for sustainable growth
Akpata said his focus upon taking office was to create a lasting structure for Nigerian cricket instead of relying on immediate, temporary solutions. The federation subsequently developed a strategy around four central areas:
- Grassroots Development
- Facility Upgrades
- High Performance
- Strategic Partnerships
Speaking to Toyin Ibitoye TV, Akpata insisted that cricket is targeting a place among Nigeria’s biggest sporting disciplines.
“Our ambition is to rank among the top three sports in Nigeria,” Akpata said. “I challenge anybody to argue differently. We are arguably Nigeria’s most effectively organised sports federation at present. Our organised data and monitoring framework allows us to spot a youngster in a distant grassroots programme and follow that player’s progress through to the national elite sides.”
Cricket’s social-impact work recognised globally
Akpata said the NCF also intends to deploy cricket as an instrument for social progress, highlighting the federation’s work at the Internally Displaced Persons camp in Uhogua, Edo State.
“We visited the IDP camp in Benin City and engaged more than 2,000 children, who have since developed a real passion for cricket,” he said. “That project earned us our first international honour through the Cricket 4Good programme.”
The International Cricket Council later presented the NCF with the Global Cricket 4Good Social Impact Initiative of the Year Award.
Player pathway and Nigeria Super League expansion
Akpata pointed to women’s player Lucky Piety as an example of the talent emerging through the federation’s development system.
“Last year, she was arguably Africa’s leading female cricketer outside South Africa after winning the Most Valuable Player award at the continental qualifier,” he said.
In an effort to move promising domestic players closer to international-level competition, the federation staged the first Nigeria Super League, or NSL. The competition was created to give the country’s best local cricketers experience in demanding, high-intensity matches.
The first NSL campaign was largely made up of Nigeria-based players, although Akpata said later editions are expected to move towards a franchise model that includes overseas cricketers.
“We want to attract some of Africa’s finest cricketers to play alongside Nigerian talent,” he explained. “In future, overseas players will be involved to improve the standard, pace and commercial value of the competition.”
Upgraded venues and confidence for the future
Working with both government and private-sector partners, the NCF has improved several major turf-wicket venues and introduced modern indoor training facilities to enable development throughout the year.
- Lagos Cricket Club ground at TBS
- University of Lagos, UNILAG
- Government College Oval in Ibadan
- Cricket facilities in Edo State
- Cricket facilities in Abuja
Akpata believes Nigeria is well placed for the coming cycle, pointing to greater visibility abroad, a wider network of facilities and an increasingly strong pool of players.
“The direction is obvious,” he said. “With talent coming through from all parts of the country and the systems now established, the next three years will be a defining period for Nigerian cricket.”
