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Nigeria Needs Home Grown Tennis Solution – Segun Aluko

Published

8 months ago

February 28, 2026

Nigeria needs a system through which young tennis talents are encouraged to grow within the shores of the country instead of trooping abroad in search of greener pastures, Sports247 reports.

This charge was given by the president of Nigeria Tennis Players’ Parents Association, Mr Segun Aluko, who stressed that looking for talents based abroad is not a proper approach to developing the racquet sport for the country.

Aluko added in an exclusive interview with Sports247: “We have a lot of players based in America, especially in colleges; but the most important thing is how do we develop a home-grown tennis solution.

“To play tennis in Europe and America costs an arm and a leg … it’s extremely expensive; yet there’s no guarantee that the players would even be successful.

“So, we need to have a system whereby we can build players in Nigeria, to at least play Futures and Challengers tournaments before we then raise them to the foreign mat.”

Aluko reckoned further that Nigerian players have shown in recent years that they have what it takes to seek top marks internationally, especially with the recent victory over Uzbekistan in the Davis Cup qualifiers played in Lagos.

He, however, warned that the country’s next outing will be tougher, as the Davis Cup team is scheduled to play away to Morocco in September, which would surely be a tricky outing for the ambitious visitors.

“It’s actually not easy to have players out there, but we are not doing badly. We are not there yet, where we had top players five, seven years ago, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

“Our next challenge in the Davis Cup will be Morocco, which is a very emotional set-up. They will do everything possible to ensure we don’t win. But, win or lose, I will still give our boys a lot of kudos.

“Considering how our boys defeated Uzbekistan, Morocco should not be a big deal, but it won’t be easy. We saw what they did in football to Nigeria and other countries at the Nations Cup.

“They are always very desperate to win; but we should see it as an opportunity for us to further develop our tennis and our system.

“Let’s prepare the boys properly to play against Morocco. They may not be lucky enough to win, since they will be playing away, but I know they will give a very good account of themselves,” Aluko enthused.

He concluded by pointing out that the Davis Cup adventure will further reveal the need for Nigeria to develop home-grown talent, who can be called upon at short notice to step out and lift the country’s flag very high at every point in time.

Aluko submitted, “This will help us to further see the reason why we must develop tennis here at home. We are trying, but we need to do better.

“For us to beat Uzbekistan, who are ranked around 45 in the world, and they have a player who defeated (Novak) Djokovic in the Australia Open singles, shows that there is something good about tennis in Nigeria.

“We just need to have the right investment, the right focus and the right concentration. We have a lot of talent, and our players are doing really well; but we have a lot of work to do.

“We have to put the right system in place and get a proper structure for the game in Nigeria, so that we can have a good chance in the world of tennis.”

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The post Nigeria Needs Home Grown Tennis Solution – Segun Aluko appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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Oshoala Scores as Al Hilal Cruise to 4-0 Away Victory Over NEOM

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2026

Kenny Malone

Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala was on target as Al Hilal produced an impressive 4-0 away victory over NEOM, with fellow Nigerian international Christy Ucheibe also featuring in the convincing performance.

Sports247 reports that Oshoala continued her contribution to Al Hilal’s attacking campaign by finding the back of the net in the 65th minute, helping the visitors strengthen their advantage in a dominant display.

The Nigerian forward’s goal came during an impressive second-half performance from Al Hilal, who added three goals after the interval to complete a comprehensive victory.

Moroccan forward Ibtissam Jraidi opened the scoring in the 11th minute, giving Al Hilal an early advantage before the teams went into the break.

Oshoala doubled the visitors’ lead in the 65th minute before Manar Al-Anzi made it 3-0 just four minutes later.

Jraidi then completed her brace in the 88th minute, sealing the emphatic 4-0 result for Al Hilal.

Christy Ucheibe, Oshoala’s Super Falcons teammate, also played a part in the victory as the Nigerian duo continued to make their contributions to the Saudi Arabian club.

The result represents another important outing for Al Hilal, with the team’s attacking quality evident in the performance against NEOM.

For Oshoala, the goal provides another opportunity to demonstrate her goalscoring ability and importance at club level. The six-time African Women’s Player of the Year remains one of Nigeria’s most recognisable football exports, and her performances continue to attract attention.

The presence of both Oshoala and Ucheibe in Al Hilal’s squad also highlights the growing influence of Nigerian players in women’s football outside the country.

With the emphatic away victory secured, Al Hilal will look to build on the performance in their subsequent fixtures.

The post Oshoala Scores as Al Hilal Cruise to 4-0 Away Victory Over NEOM appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Final: Japan Will Fall Same Way North Korea Crumbled Against Us – Busari

Published

3 days ago

November 5, 2026

Bryce Mullins

Nigeria’s female cadet national team, Flamingos’ coach, Akeem Busari has come out with a daring declaration that his squad will defeat Japan on Saturday in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup final, Sports247 reports.

Busari made the declaration after his side pulled off a huge feat by defeating Brazil 3-1 in the competition’s second semi-final on Wednesday and he is now thinking of lifting the global trophy this Saturday in Rabat, Morocco.

Although it’s the first time Nigeria will get to this stage, while Japan are back in the ultimate game after previously making there in 2016, Busari believes his side will emerge victorious at the end of the day.

He is already banking on a repeat performance from his lasses as they had in their last group match; when they trounced back-to-back defending champions, North Korea 3-1 to pull off the first major upset of this year’s championship.

After seeing Japan struggle to hold the Koreans in the first semi-final, then scored a last-minute equaliser before winning on penalties, Busari is of a very strong view that the Asians will fall on Saturday in the same manner their neighbours crumbled during their last match of Group B.

The former head coach at DUFA Football Academy of Lagos and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan acknowledged Japan’s strengths and style of play, then declared that his players will give the very best they can, because they want to return to Nigeria with the trophy this weekend.

Busari theorised, “It’s just about showing the same character and playing the same way we played with North Korea, because they play with the same philosophy. They want to build the ball; they look at the high line of passes.

“They want their full backs to support, so we really want to look at all of that. I’m excited and I’m happy and the class were happy, but we just really want to pick up the trophy. That would be the icing on the cake.”

The post FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Final: Japan Will Fall Same Way North Korea Crumbled Against Us – Busari appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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Grassroots Sports Summit: SSA Adeboye Eyes Stronger Nigeria–Morocco Partnership as November 18 Countdown Continues

Published

6 days ago

November 2, 2026

Elliot Michael

As preparations intensify for the National Grassroots Sports Development Summit scheduled for November 18–19, 2026, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye, has expressed optimism that Nigeria’s growing sporting relationship with Morocco will open new opportunities for grassroots athletes and strengthen international cooperation.

Adeboye, who recently visited the Moroccan Embassy in Abuja for discussions with the Moroccan Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Moha Ou Ali Tagma, said the engagement forms part of ongoing efforts to build strategic partnerships capable of transforming grassroots sports development in Nigeria.

The Presidential aide, who also travelled to Morocco during the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to support Nigeria’s Flamingos, described the North African country’s sporting environment as an important example of how sustained investment, infrastructure development and international collaboration can contribute to sporting excellence.

According to him, discussions surrounding potential cooperation between Nigeria and Morocco are encouraging, with high-ranking Moroccan sports officials, including the country’s sports minister and other key stakeholders, among those expected to feature in further engagements.

“Our recent meeting with the Moroccan Ambassador to Nigeria was very productive, and my visit to Morocco has further strengthened my belief in what we can achieve through international sporting partnerships. We are looking forward to engagements involving top Moroccan sports officials, including the sports minister, as we explore opportunities that will benefit young Nigerian athletes,” Adeboye stated.

He explained that the forthcoming summit, themed “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development,” will provide a platform for translating such relationships into practical opportunities in talent identification, coaching exchanges, sports infrastructure, youth competitions and international exposure.

“We do not want international relationships that end with courtesy visits and photographs. Our focus is on partnerships that will create real opportunities for talented boys and girls across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas,” he added.

Adeboye emphasised that the summit, taking place at the Banquet Hall, State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja, will bring together government representatives, sports administrators, development partners, private-sector stakeholders and other key players to chart a sustainable pathway for grassroots sports.

He noted that the summit’s five pillars — Participation, Talent Development, Infrastructure, Sports Economy and International Pathways — reflect the administration’s determination to establish a more inclusive and economically viable sporting system.

“November 18 and 19 are important dates for the future of Nigerian sports. We are bringing stakeholders together not merely to discuss challenges, but to develop practical solutions and establish partnerships that can produce lasting results,” Adeboye said.

The SSA reaffirmed his commitment to advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of creating greater opportunities for Nigerian youths through sports, while urging stakeholders to support the summit and its objectives.

The post Grassroots Sports Summit: SSA Adeboye Eyes Stronger Nigeria–Morocco Partnership as November 18 Countdown Continues appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.