By Dorcas Francis Koji
The 2026 Nathaniel Idowu Summer Camp has ended on a high note at the New Maracana Sports Complex in Tolu, Lagos, with more than 500 children and 200 parents attending the closing ceremony.
The four-week grassroots sports programme was organised by Peakline Sports World Ltd in partnership with the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, with a focus on sports development, mentorship and character building among young participants.
Throughout the camp, 20 certified coaches and seven ad-hoc staff members supervised the children, while the organisers provided meals, medical support and transport allowances to ensure the participants had a supportive environment throughout the programme.
Founder of the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, Yemi Idowu, said the initiative was created to provide children in Ajegunle with opportunities to discover and develop their talents through sport.
“When we started this, we wanted to give children in Ajegunle hope through sport,” Idowu said.
“Seeing 500 kids here today, and parents supporting them, tells me we are on the right track. This is not a one-off. We are resolved to continue building talents from the ground up.”
The closing ceremony also highlighted the development of basketball, with Idowu announcing plans to construct a new basketball court at the Maracana Sports Complex.
He said the facility would provide the young basketball players with a permanent place to train even after the summer camp had ended.
“We saw the passion in our basketball kids. They deserve a court of their own right here. The Foundation will make it happen so that training does not stop after camp,” he added.
The Foundation also strengthened its commitment to encouraging girls to participate in football through its Let Her Play initiative.
Thirty-two new female players were inducted into the programme during the closing ceremony, joining 30 girls already undergoing training under the Foundation’s long-term talent development scheme.
In another effort to ensure the children continue developing after the four-week programme, 300 standout participants were selected for ongoing weekend training sessions.
The camp also received support from US-based Gear ’em Up, operated by Khadija and Marvelous, which supplied kits for the participating children.
Parents who attended the closing ceremony praised the organisers for providing free registration, professional coaching, meals, medical assistance and transport support throughout the programme.
The organisers said the initiative would continue beyond the 2026 camp, with plans to identify and nurture promising young athletes while using sport as a tool to promote discipline, education, inclusion and positive development among children in Lagos.
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