The Nigeria Padel Federation (NPF) has pledged to expand grassroots participation, establish training academies, attract investment and create opportunities for young Nigerians to compete internationally.
The federation’s newly inaugurated President, Babajimi Benson, announced the plans after the National Sports Commission inaugurated the boards of four sports federations at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Benson said the federation would increase the number of players, clubs and courts while expanding the sport beyond Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt to other parts of the country.
“We will encourage schools, universities, corporate organisations and local communities to embrace padel sport.
“We need to strengthen grassroots participation and make the sport more accessible,” he said.
Padel is a racket sport combining elements of tennis and squash, usually played in doubles on an enclosed court.
Benson said Nigeria should take advantage of the sport’s growing global popularity by developing local talent and creating pathways for players to compete internationally.
He said the federation planned to establish development programmes for junior players, women, girls and high-performance athletes, while training coaches, referees and tournament officials.
“Young players will progress from learning the game to competing in tournaments, earning national rankings and eventually representing Nigeria at international competitions,” he added.
Benson also said the federation aimed to make Nigeria a destination for major padel competitions, attracting investment and creating business opportunities across the sports sector.
He stressed the need for effective governance, technology, reliable data, strategic partnerships and a sustainable commercial model to attract sponsors and private investors.
“Sport cannot thrive on enthusiasm alone. We need strong governance.
“We need technology and reliable data. We need partnerships and we need a sustainable commercial model,” he said.
Benson, who chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Defence, said the federation was committed to positioning Nigeria as a leading force in African padel.
The other federations inaugurated alongside the NPF were the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Nigeria Arm Wrestling Federation and Nigeria Fencing Federation.
