Twelve state governors are expected to participate in the 2026 National Grassroots Sports Development Summit as organisers intensify preparations for the two-day event scheduled to hold in Abuja from November 18 to 19.

The summit, which will take place at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Presidential Villa, will feature a Governors’ Round Table aimed at securing stronger sub-national commitment to grassroots sports development and addressing challenges affecting the discovery and nurturing of young talents across Nigeria.

The special session, themed “Sub-National Leadership in Grassroots Sports Implementation,” will bring together governors from different parts of the country to explore practical ways of translating sports development policies into programmes that benefit communities, schools and young athletes.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by Dr (Mrs) Kehinde Ajayi, FCAI, ANIPR, Chairperson of the Summit’s Media Sub-Committee, the governors expected at the session are AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos.

Others are Babagana Zulum of Borno, Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Alex Otti of Abia, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Monday Okpebholo of Edo and Uba Sani of Kaduna.

The organisers said the governors’ participation would highlight the critical role state governments must play in building a sustainable sports development structure, particularly as many young athletes depend on facilities, competitions and coaching opportunities within their communities.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye, said state governments remain indispensable to building an effective national talent-development structure.

He noted that sustainable sporting excellence could not be achieved through federal government interventions alone, as talent identification and development largely begin in schools, neighbourhoods and local competitions.

The Governors’ Round Table is expected to examine how state governments can provide the facilities, funding and institutional support required to identify young talents early and nurture them through structured development programmes.

Key issues for discussion include the revival of school sports, provision of community sporting infrastructure, sustainable funding mechanisms, public-private partnerships and stronger collaboration between state and local governments.

The session will also consider ways of establishing measurable sports programmes capable of remaining functional beyond changes in political leadership.

The emphasis on sub-national leadership reflects a longstanding challenge in Nigerian sports: the gap between the country's abundance of sporting talent and the structures required to develop that talent consistently.

Across the country, young people participate in football, athletics, basketball, boxing, wrestling and several other sporting activities. However, access to standard facilities, qualified coaches, regular competitions and financial support remains uneven.

For many aspiring athletes, the absence of a structured pathway means their development depends largely on personal initiative, family resources or occasional opportunities to attract the attention of scouts.

The summit seeks to address this challenge by promoting a coordinated system through which talents discovered at community level can progress through school, local government, state and national competitions.

Nigeria Rugby Football Federation President Ademola Are, who also chairs the summit’s Accommodation and Logistics Sub-Committee, has described the gathering as an opportunity to develop a common framework for talent identification and development.

The participation of the governors is expected to bring political leadership into discussions on how state budgets, public institutions and partnerships can be deployed to support grassroots sports.

A major objective of the Governors’ Round Table is to move grassroots sports development beyond speeches and policy commitments.

Organisers are seeking practical recommendations to help states establish sustainable programmes, improve access to facilities and create opportunities for young athletes regardless of their location or financial background.

Discussions will include funding models that do not depend exclusively on annual government allocations, with public-private partnerships, corporate sponsorships and collaboration with sports organisations identified as possible sources of additional support.

The engagement will also examine the relationship between state governments and local councils, which are closer to many communities where young talents are first discovered.

Local governments can contribute byl providing playing spaces, organising community competitions and identifying promising athletes. However, these responsibilities require clear programmes, adequate funding and coordination with state sports institutions.

Beyond the Governors’ Round Table, the two-day event is designed to bring together government institutions, sports federations, policymakers, private investors, development partners, coaches and other stakeholders.

With the theme, “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development,” the summit will focus on five strategic pillars: participation, talent development, infrastructure, sports economy and international pathways.

The pillars will provide a framework for examining ways to expand access to sports, improve talent identification and development, strengthen infrastructure and create economic opportunities within the sector.

The international pathways component will also explore opportunities to connect promising young athletes with competitions and development opportunities beyond local and national levels.

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) is serving as the technical partner for the event, with its involvement expected to support discussions on policy development, investment opportunities and sustainable frameworks for grassroots sports.

Organisers expect the deliberations to produce recommendations that can guide government institutions and other stakeholders in strengthening sports development across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

The proposed round table comes amid growing calls from Nigerian sports administrators to strengthen the foundation of the country's sporting system.

While international competitions often attract attention when Nigerian athletes win medals and titles, producing those athletes requires access to coaching, facilities, regular competitions and sustained investment from an early age.

Recent Federal Government initiatives have also highlighted the importance of improving sports infrastructure and expanding opportunities for talent discovery. In May 2026, the National Sports Commission announced plans to establish sports centres in tertiary institutions and mini-sports centres in communities as part of efforts to strengthen the country's sports development structure.

The governors’ engagement is expected to complement such interventions by encouraging states to develop their own programmes and align them with a broader national framework.

For the organisers, the challenge goes beyond bringing governors and sports stakeholders together in Abuja. The priority is to secure commitments that will translate into visible improvements in communities.

With the summit scheduled to begin on November 18, organisers are placing considerable emphasis on political leadership in building a sports system capable of discovering and developing talents from every part of the country.

The central message is that Nigeria's next generation of sporting champions could emerge from any community, but identifying and preparing them for national and international success will require deliberate investment, effective institutions and sustained collaboration across all levels of government.