Nigeria Rugby League Association (NRLA) Vice-Chairman and General Manager Ade Adebisi says improving administrative standards is essential to matching the growing international competitiveness of Nigerian rugby league athletes.
Adebisi spoke as officials from Nigeria, France and Wales joined the International Rugby League (IRL) World Cup 2026 operations team in Australia for a three-week deployment aimed at strengthening their expertise in major tournament organisation.
The initiative is the first outcome of the IRL’s Accelerator Nation programme, which seeks to improve rugby league development and administration worldwide. Nigeria earned a place in the programme after beating four other invited applicants from the Middle East and Africa in a selection process conducted by the IRL Strategy Committee.
Adebisi said the experience would help improve the association’s operations and establish stronger systems for the sport’s continued development in Nigeria.
“What I bring back will go straight into how NRLA operates,” he said, stressing the need for better governance and a more professional environment for athletes, coaches and partners.
The Accelerator Nation programme focuses on expanding school and university participation, improving high-performance coaching, organising international tours and creating opportunities for players to gain experience with elite foreign clubs.
With support from partner Alaro City, the NRLA also plans to strengthen its men’s and women’s programmes while investing in the development of coaches and match officials.
Adebisi further highlighted the association’s ambition to establish an annual Middle East and Africa (MEA) Championship for both men’s and women’s national teams, meeting standards recognised by the IRL.
He said Nigeria’s long-term vision includes hosting the Women’s Rugby League World Cup, describing the Australian deployment as an important step towards building the administrative capacity needed to achieve that goal.
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