The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation has called for increased government and private-sector support as the country prepares for the World Rugby SVNS 3 qualifier in Uganda.
NRFF President Ademola Aré made the appeal ahead of Nigeria’s scheduled appearance at the competition on September 26 and 27.
Aré said Nigerian rugby had made significant progress over the past four to five years, with the country rising to seventh in Africa and gaining access to more continental and international competitions.
He said the federation had also expanded rugby’s participation in domestic sporting events, including the National Sports Festival, Intermediate Sports Festival and National Youth Games.
According to Aré, Nigeria has the potential to compete at the Rugby World Cup but needs stronger financial backing to attract and retain top players, including Nigerians currently playing professionally abroad.
He explained that inviting professional players for national assignments comes with significant costs because athletes often have to leave their clubs and salaries to represent Nigeria. A professional player, he said, could require at least $5,000 to participate for the country, aside from other competition expenses.
The NRFF president appealed to the National Sports Commission, corporate organisations and individuals passionate about sports to increase their support for rugby.
He noted that funding was needed to cover accommodation, feeding, transportation and other logistics required to operate the national team.
Aré expressed optimism that sustained investment would enable Nigeria to build on its recent progress and compete more effectively at continental and global levels. Nigeria’s next major assignment is the World Rugby SVNS 3 qualifier in Uganda on September 26 and 27.
