The Lagos State Government has provided reassurances to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regarding its readiness to offer top-notch sports facilities and a conducive environment.
This commitment aims to enhance Nigeria’s enthusiasm for co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside the Republic of Benin.
Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, the Deputy Governor, conveyed this assurance as he welcomed the Confederation of African Football Inspection Team during their courtesy visit to the Round House in Alausa, Ikeja, on behalf of the State Governor.
Hamzat noted that the state has all it takes to be one of the centers for successfully hosting a great sporting event like the African Cup of Nations, as “it has the people, the facilities, and the commitment of the government,” he said.
He added that Lagos State had hosted the under-17 and under-20 World Cup football competitions, which gave her an insight into the hosting protocols.
Hamzat continued, “We have the template; we know what is expected of us, then it is just for us to go and repeat it and make sure that it is good. It is interesting that it is a joint bid”.
He, therefore, assured the delegation of good hospitality in the state, which will combine both the public and private sectors.
The Deputy Governor said, “The state is aiming beyond the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, as it also plans to build the interest of the young generations in football.
“We want to make sure that around the world when for example there are teams, we want four to five Nigerians to be in all the teams, that is the goal.”
He added that “the state is not only renovating the Teslim Balogun Stadium to ensure that it is elevated beyond the standard for the purpose of the competition in the year 2027 and beyond, but it is also building new ones in different communities within the state to accommodate and encourage youths, both Male and female, in terms of playing football and other sports.”
Stressing further, Hamzat said, “We are actually doing nine stadiums there in Agege, Ifako-Ijaye, Ikorodu, Epe, among others, the essence for us is to also start a lot of community football for communities to play.”
He gave his assurance that the Teslim Balogun Stadium would be prepared and operational by the end of this year.
In his earlier remarks, Mallam Mainasara Illo, the head of Nigeria’s delegation for the bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, explained that the Inspection Team’s visit to Lagos was aimed at evaluating the football facilities put forth by the Nigeria Football Federation for the potential hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027.
Mallam Illo disclosed that six states in Nigeria and two cities in the Republic of Benin have been proposed to host the competition, adding that “it is hoped that the venues proposed in Nigeria will pass the test.”
According to him, “It is totally inexcusable if Lagos State, being Africa’s largest economy, the nation’s most populous state, and a state in which football is most passionately followed, does not make it.”
Therefore, Illo appealed to the state government to expedite the progress at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. The team has already toured the stadium and noted the ongoing construction, along with the other training facilities designated for the event.
He additionally made a plea for the state government to guarantee the availability of high-quality hospitals, VIP hotels, airports, and other essential amenities.
