Sportsville Awards 2026: Shehu Dikko, Oshodi, Enabulele Shine at Lagos Ceremony

It was a night of glitz and glamour as the 2026 Sportsville Special Recognition Awards took center stage at the prestigious Lagos Country Club on Friday, bringing together some of the biggest names in Nigerian sports.

Leading the list of honorees was Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), who received the highly coveted Sportsville Sports Transformative Impact Award. The recognition highlighted his sweeping reforms and contributions to the development of Nigerian sports.

In his acceptance speech, Dikko described the award as a responsibility rather than just an honor. He dedicated it to Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the NSC, pledging continued commitment to advancing the nation’s sporting landscape.

“This is a call to do more; it’s a debt that must be paid with total dedication to further reforms and development in Nigerian sports,” he said.

Other standout awardees included Enitan Oshodi, President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), who clinched the Sports Personality of the Year Award alongside Itiako Ikpokpo.

The Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Amadin Desmond Enabulele, was honored with the Sportsville Visionary Leadership Award, while Kwame Arthur and Chuka Momah received the Sports Icon Awards.

Innovation and excellence were also celebrated, with Bambo Akani earning the Sportsville Innovative Award, alongside Femi Bankole-Alibay for his contributions to 5-Aside Football in Nigeria.

In the Achievers Category, Christian Emeruwa and Felix Akiga were recognized for their impact.

The Special Recognition Category honored several individuals, including Godwin Kienka, Toyosi Oyetunji, Toyin Aluko, Ama-ebi Ebikpolade, Akin Afolarin, Isaac Danladi, Fausat Dehinde-Yekini, and Fred Newton Erhunmwunse.

On the organizational front, Akwa Ibom State Government and Eagle Wings FC Benin City won the Best Sports Facility Award in the public and private categories respectively, while Brila Media Group received the Excellence in Sports Media Award.

Speaking at the event, Frank Ilaboya, Chairman/CEO of Sportsville Communication Services, reaffirmed the integrity of the awards, emphasizing that only individuals and organizations making genuine impact in Nigerian sports would continue to be recognized.

A total of 20 distinguished personalities and corporate organizations were celebrated at the 2026 edition, reinforcing the awards’ growing reputation as a benchmark for excellence in Nigerian sports.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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