NFF President Inaugurates U-19 Independence Challenge Cup Organising Committee

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, has officially established the organising committee for Nigeria’s inaugural U-19 Independence Challenge Cup, a tourney designed to observe the nation’s independency day and showcase young shot talent.

He inaugurated the committee yesterday astatine the Sunday Dankaro House, successful Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Gusau, who was represented by NFF General Secretary Dr. Muhammed Sanusi, assured the federation’s committedness to the event, stating that it would play a pivotal relation successful discovering youthful talent.

“There is nary uncertainty that this tourney volition uncover a multitude of talents. We basal acceptable to enactment immoderate inaugural that promotes endowment find and fosters unity among Nigerians,” Sanusi declared portion formally inaugurating the organising committee for the U-19 Independence Challenge Cup.

Chairing the committee is Naseeb Sadiq Danpulo, who noted the eagerness of Nigerian youths for the historical competition, acceptable to instrumentality spot from 25 September to 1 October 2025.

“Independence Day is simply a important juncture successful our nation, and galore of our youths observe this anniversary. This inspired america to make this idea, arsenic sports, peculiarly football, is simply a unifying unit among Nigerians. Statistically, astir 70 per cent of our colonisation celebrates Independence Day. The Independence Challenge Cup volition service arsenic a level for endowment scouting, marking a archetypal of its benignant for our country,” Danpulo stated.

Originally planned to diagnostic 37 teams from each 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the tourney volition commence this twelvemonth with 8 teams owed to delayed endorsements. However, Danpulo expressed optimism for broader information successful aboriginal editions.

Meanwhile, committee caput Mr. Andrew Tyonongo highlighted the collaboration betwixt the Inter Sports Promoters Association and aggregate nationalist bodies, including the national government, the National Sports Commission (NSC), and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which proudly endorsed the tourney arsenic an authoritative enactment commemorating Nigeria’s independence.

“This tourney volition not lone showcase the champion of our younker talents but volition besides beforehand unity, peace, patriotism, discipline, and nationalist pride, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renew Hope Agenda’ for younker empowerment and development,” Tyonongo explained.

He reiterated the organising committee’s committedness to delivering a transparent, peaceful, and memorable tournament. Additionally, Tyonongo called connected the nationalist and partners to articulation the Inter Sports Promoters Association successful making history, expressing gratitude to the national government, NSC, and NFF for their unwavering enactment successful bringing Nigeria’s archetypal Independence Challenge Cup to fruition.