Photo Credit: Photo from orientation for journalists in Lagos / Courtesy of American Football Elite Development (AFEDEV) via PunchNG
Nigeria to Host First-Ever Wheelchair American Football Exhibition in Lagos

Nigeria is set to make history with its maiden Wheelchair American Football exhibition game scheduled for Thursday in Lagos.

The exhibition, organised by the American Football Elite Development (AFEDEV), will take place at the National Institute for Sports, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Four teams — Lagos Dynamos, Iron Invicta, Liberty Pioneers and Atlantic Chargers — will compete in a knockout format, with semi-final winners advancing to the final.

According to the organisers, the event comes after over two months of intensive training for the participating athletes. It is part of a larger plan by AFEDEV to create a structured pathway for athletes with disabilities to develop their talents and build careers in American football.

Speaking at a media orientation in Lagos, AFEDEV founder, Lawrence Ojaideh, said the initiative was born out of the need to give disabled athletes a platform.

“There are so many disabled athletes; there are many people out there who are looking for these opportunities, and many people who fall into these categories and life seemed very hopeless to them because there is no opportunity to showcase what they have,” Ojaideh said.

He added that the platform offers athletes a chance to build a better life in what is one of the richest sports in the world.

Also speaking, AFEDEV Executive Director, Nina Agwuna, called for partnerships to support athletes who have been neglected in the sports sector.

“We are looking forward to synergising; we are looking forward to partnering with different communities out there who are willing to be part of this amazing thing for people who have been neglected, especially in the sports field,” she said.

Beyond the exhibition, AFEDEV disclosed plans to develop a full wheelchair league, an American football academy, and a tackle football programme for able-bodied athletes. The organisation also plans to launch the Elite Athlete Identification and Development System (EAIDS), a software platform to track players from grassroots identification to professional drafting.

Board member Josiah Orie noted that the tackle football project will focus on technical development, international competitiveness, and player safety.

The organisation said it will explore corporate sponsorship, international partnerships, broadcast deals, match-day engagement and merchandise as revenue streams to be reinvested into facilities, equipment and athlete development.
Source: Punch Newspapers –