The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) is actively participating in the 2024 Growth Conference organized by World Rugby in Kigali, Rwanda.
This significant event, which draws together key stakeholders from across the continent, seeks to foster the sustainable development and expansion of rugby throughout Africa.
The Nigerian delegation, led by NRFF President Dr. Ademola Are, General Manager Azeez Ladipo, and Women’s Development Officer Wuraola Hussain, joins representatives from 14 other African nations, including Algeria, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa.
These unions are coming together to collaborate, learn, and strategize on how best to enhance the sport’s footprint in Africa.
The conference is structured around two pivotal workshops: the Union Management Programme and the Participation Workshop. The Union Management Programme focuses on providing strategic models and tactical tools to help unions like the NRFF grow their membership and enhance the sport’s profile in their respective countries.
Meanwhile, the Participation Workshop is dedicated to promoting sustainable rugby development initiatives tailored to the unique contexts of African rugby.
Rugby in Africa has been gaining momentum, underscored by the remarkable success of the South African Springboks at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Paris. Emerging rugby nations like Ghana, Nigeria, and Zambia are also showing significant growth, prompting increased attention and support from World Rugby.
Coralie Van Den Berg, World Rugby’s Regional Partnerships Manager for Africa, emphasized the organization’s commitment to the continent during the conference. “World Rugby is dedicated to advancing rugby across Africa by empowering communities, training leaders, and sharing success stories.
Our goal is to elevate the game at every level,” she stated. Van Den Berg also highlighted that the 2024 Growth Conference in Kigali aims to build capacity within unions, forge strategic partnerships, and secure government funding, all while enhancing the sport’s social impact across Africa.
For Nigeria and other participating unions, the insights and collaborations formed during this conference are expected to significantly bolster their efforts in growing rugby at both grassroots and elite levels.
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