NSC unveils power-packed LOC for 2027 Africa School Games

...Consummate sports administrator Mrs. Chikere named in the LOC headed Lekan Alabi

...The committee was assembled to deliver a befitting, world-class event – NSC DG Olopade 

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye in Lagos

 

 

Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 Africa School Games kicked into top gear on Thursday as the National Sports Commission (NSC) unveiled a star-studded 21-man Local Organizing Committee (LOC).

Among the headline appointments is one of Edo State’s most respected sports technocrats, Mrs. Sabina Chikere, Executive Director of Sports Development at the Edo State Sports Commission.

The Games, billed for Abuja, promise to be Africa’s biggest youth sports gathering, and the NSC is leaving nothing to chance. Director General of the Commission, Honourable Bukola Olopade, said the committee was assembled to deliver a “befitting, world-class event” that will surpass the last edition in Algeria.

“Our athletes delivered spectacular podium performances in Algeria,” Olopade said. “This committee was carefully selected to stage an even better Games in Abuja.”

At the heart of that mission is Mrs. Sabina Chikere, whose inclusion has been widely hailed across the sports sector. Known for her sharp administrative acumen and her transformation driven approach in Edo State’s sports programmes, Chikere brings national and grassroots credibility to the LOC.

Sports observers say her appointment reflects the NSC’s commitment to professionalism and results. As Executive Director of Sports Development, Chikere has been instrumental in Edo’s rise as one of Nigeria’s most consistent sporting powerhouses. 

From athlete development pipelines to elite competitions, she has worked with various teams that have helped built systems that deliver in Edo State and now, those same skills will be deployed on a continental stage.

The LOC will be chaired by a seasoned administrator Lekan Alabi, with Abdulmumuni Shagaya serving as secretary. Together with other distinguished members, they are tasked with shaping what is expected to become Africa’s benchmark for school sports excellence.

Nigeria finished third at the 2025 Africa School Games in Algeria with 25 medals:

• Six gold

• Ten silver

• Nine bronze — behind hosts Algeria and Egypt.

The maiden African School Games held in Algeria in between July and August 2025, included around 2,700 athletes from over 50 nations.

The initiative is to promote youth sports and talent development on the continent. 

With Abuja 2027 on the horizon, Chikere and her colleagues now have the mandate to help Nigeria not just host, but dominate.

For the NSC, the message is clear: preparations have begun, expectations are sky-high, and with leaders like Sabina Chikere on board, the continent will be watching.