On April 29, 2026, the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) set off a revolution in the sports sector with the inauguration of the *Olympafrica Centre* and the groundbreaking of the integrated Olympic city project.
President of the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel, driver of the project,noted “There’s no doubt that these initiatives have unlocked several key benefits,” .
In a statement made available to VDCInsights and signed by NOC Public Relations Officer, Tony Nezianya, said “The core gains of the project are the grassroots sports development initiatives, including talent discovery, and the successful integration of a residential estate within a sports environment.”
According to Alassane Thierno Diack, the Chair and CEO of the Olympafrica Foundation, the Olympafrica Centre, provides a structured platform for identifying and nurturing young local talent.
The Olympafrica Foundation is designed to use sports as a tool for youth development and community transformation across Africa.
The foundation works in concert with the International Olympic Committee, from which it essentially draws its funding.
It also aims to build a strong foundation for the country’s talent supply chain, preparing children to represent Nigeria in the future Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and World Championships, as well as other national and international sporting competitions.
An Olympian and Third Vice President of the NOC, Olumide Oyedeji, who was the chairman of the implementation of the launch of the project said “This type of project is the first of its kind anywhere in Nigeria” .
This will also enable many Nigerians who are now becoming aware of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle to practice the new, innovative “Live-Train-Play” integrated lifestyle.
The 6.7-hectare plot has been split into two zones: 40% for the sports centre and 60% for the residential estate.
This creates an integrated community that brings athletes, coaches, and support systems closer together, enhancing lifestyle balance and training outcomes.
### Upgraded, Modern Facilities
The centre includes comprehensive infrastructure to engage the youth and support both indoor and outdoor activities.
Current outdoor features include a renovated cultural centre, a multi-purpose court, a covered spectators’ pavilion, and the ongoing reconstruction of a standard football pitch and an eight-lane athletics track.
### Indoor Facilities
The indoor complex includes dedicated halls for combat and strength sports such as karate, taekwondo, wrestling, and weightlifting. Alongside these are courts for basketball, volleyball, and tennis.
### Financial and Environmental Sustainability
There have been decades of environmental and funding hurdles that stalled the development of this land, which was granted by the Lagos State Government in 1990.
The build-and-sell residential estate will now attract investment and allow the NOC to generate independent, sustainable revenue for the long-term maintenance of the sports facilities.
### Community Engagement and Youth Empowerment
According to Habu Gumel, the sporting infrastructure in the community would be dedicated to engagement and youth empowerment.
The complex will serve as a secure, functional environment to keep young people productively engaged.
With its added security outpost and overhead tanks at boreholes, the facility also directly benefits the surrounding Amuwo Odofin community.
For the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, the NOC has successfully revitalised a 35-year-old underutilised landholding.
Dikko was represented at the occasion by Musa Ahmadu, a Special Assistant at the NSC and a former NFF General Secretary.
For Mr Dan Ngerem, a former President of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN), who made a surprise brief appearance at the epoch-making event, the highlight was that the committee could still retain the land allocation even after 35 years.
The two companies involved in the estate are Ampharco Real Estate, managed by Mr Joseph Chime, and Numero Homes, managed by Mrs Omowunmi Olalere.
Olalere, who spoke on behalf of her partner, assured that they have set a target of 24 months to deliver the project.
