As part of the Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience program in Lagos, NBA Africa and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) inaugurated a newly renovated court at the Campos Stadium on Thursday, September 14.
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Youth from Lagos and the neighboring towns will benefit from the renovation project, which started in June in conjunction with the Lagos State Sports Commission, by giving them additional opportunities to study and play basketball.
Emmanuelle Blatmann, the French ambassador to Nigeria, Laurent Favier, the consul general of France in Lagos, Xavier Muron, the AFD director for Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the country head of NBA Nigeria, Astou Ndiaye, the 2003 WNBA champion, and Chenfa Dombin, the founder and CEO of Dream Sports Africa, all attended the unveiling ceremony.
To honor the newly renovated court, NBA Africa & AFD held a Jr. NBA clinic for 70 kids and teenagers after the court was unveiled.
The Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience program builds on the initial Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience launched in Zenata, Morocco in 2019 and is a component of AFD and NBA Africa’s bigger collaboration to encourage youth development via basketball across the continent.
AFD and NBA Africa launched a test phase in Lagos in November 2021, which was carried out by the international non-governmental organization Dream Sports Africa. More than 34,000 boys and girls, aged 12 to 17, from 55 public and private schools in Lagos State have now participated in the program.
According to the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann “Today marks a significant milestone in our collaboration with Nigeria, as we inaugurate this basketball court. Sports have the power to unite people, and this project exemplifies the strong ties between France, AFD, and Nigeria in promoting youth empowerment and skill development through sport.
I am convinced that having this dedicated sharing space will enable young girls and boys to become changemakers in their local communities.”
Also, AFD Director for Nigeria, Xavier Muron said he’s thrilled to witness the opening of Lagos’ first basketball court as part of the Basketball Experience program, made possible through joint efforts with the NBA and Lagos State Sports Commission to promote social inclusion, sustainable development and gender equality.
“This new facility will give even greater impact to the deployment of education through sports activities in schools, by providing young people with a space in which to practice and realize their full potential, he said.”
NBA Africa VP and Country Head of NBA Nigeria, Mrs. Gbemisola Abudu said the newly refurbished court will positively impact African youth.
“We remain committed to using the game as a vehicle for driving positive social and economic change in Nigeria and we hope that the new basketball court will encourage more young boys and girls to play the game and live healthy, active lifestyles.”
In Addition, Dream Sports Africa Founder and CEO, Chenfa Dombin said “Dream Sports Africa exists to develop young leaders through sport, and Basketball Experience, with this recently renovated basketball court, will transform the physical well-being, mental health, and life skills of thousands of young boys and girls throughout Lagos State,” the organization’s website states.
Sport has the power to improve a person’s physical, psychological, emotional, and social well-being and impact the lives of individuals and communities.
Basketball is an important part of Nigerian culture and communities, and it communicates with young people in a language they can comprehend. Innovative collaborations, like Basketball Experience, give kids the tools they need to learn while having fun and prepare them for life after school and the future.
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