Sportsville Unveils Nominees for 2026 Special Recognition Awards

An A-list of the country’s sports administrators has been unveiled as nominees for this year’s Sportsville Special Recognition Awards.

The organizers announced the nominees during an elaborate ceremony held in Lagos on Tuesday afternoon, highlighting individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria.

In the Icon Category, former Nigerian international Chuka Momah and sports administrator Kwame Arthur were nominated for their long-standing impact on the sports sector.

The Innovative Category features sports entrepreneur Bambo Akani and Dr Femi Bankole-Alibay, while the Achievers Category includes Dr Christian Emeruwa and Felix Akiga.

A large field of nominees was listed in the Special Recognition Category, including Akin Folarin, Fred Newton Erhunmhese, Isaac Danladi, Toyosi Oyetunji, Dr Toyin Aluko, Fausat Dehinde-Yekini, Godwin Kienka and Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade.

In the Visionary Leadership Category, Amadin Desmond Enabulele stands as the sole nominee.

The Sports Facilities Category includes the government-owned Godswill Akpabio Stadium and the privately-run Eagles Wings Sports Complex.

Meanwhile, Nigerian Breweries Plc was nominated in the Corporate Sponsorship Category for its support of sports development.

In the Sports Personalities of the Year category, Itiako Ikpokpo and Enitan Oshodi were listed as nominees.

For the Sports Transformative Category, Shehu Dikko was named as the sole nominee.

The awards presentation ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 28 at the Lagos Country Club in Ikeja. The event will mark the sixth edition of the awards series, which began in 2020, celebrating individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to 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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