The Nigerian American Football Association (NAFA) has embarked on a pre-scouting tour to identify top athletes in both male and female categories across Nigeria. The scouting campaign, which kicked off in Cross River on Monday, is being conducted in partnership with The Uprise and will visit other states, including Delta, Kwara, Ondo, and Ekiti, before concluding on May 20, 2024.
According to NAFA President, Engr. Babajide Akeredolu, “We are excited to launch this pre-scouting tour, which will serve as a precursor to our upcoming camp in Lagos. Our goal is to discover fresh talent and provide a platform for young athletes to break into the sport and become emerging stars.
“We believe that American football has the potential to thrive in Nigeria, and we are committed to developing the sport and creating opportunities for our athletes to succeed.”
The scouting campaign has already seen a strong turnout of young athletes in Cross River, all eager to showcase their skills and take the first step towards becoming professional American football players. The selected players will have the opportunity to participate in the International Player Pathway (IPP) program, which provides a platform for athletes to compete at the highest level.
NAFA’s pre-scouting tour is a significant step towards developing American football in Nigeria, and the association is committed to creating a sustainable and successful program that will benefit athletes and the sport as a whole.
The Uprise, the main sponsor of the scouting exercise through its Flag Football League, is a pioneering talent-scouting and training program conceived by Osi Umenyiora, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants.
This innovative league is Nigeria’s first ultra-competitive American Flag Football program, dedicated to cultivating and developing the skills of African youth in a previously underserved region.
The Uprise has achieved a remarkable milestone, successfully placing three African athletes on NFL rosters. Following a series of training camps across multiple African countries, select individuals were invited to Arizona for further development. Notably, Kehinde Oginni Hassan, Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi, and Chigbo Roy Mbaeteka, all of whom had no prior experience in organized football, impressed NFL general managers and secured contracts.
