Spread the word
More than 100 coaches are set to graduate from an eight-week Summer Basic Coaching Programme organised by the National Institute for Sports (NIS) in collaboration with Raytiding Consulting Limited and the Akwa Ibom State Football Association (AKSFA), in a move aimed at strengthening coaching capacity and grassroots sports development in Nigeria.
The Akwa Ibom State Football Association announced that preparations had been concluded for the graduation ceremony in Uyo, marking the completion of the training programme designed to equip participants with foundational coaching knowledge and practical skills. Blueprint reports
The initiative brought together aspiring and practising coaches and other sports professionals for structured training intended to improve their technical competence and ability to nurture sporting talent.
The graduation represents another step in efforts to expand access to professional coaching education and strengthen the human resources required to develop football and other sporting activities at the grassroots.
Eight-week programme builds coaching capacity
The programme commenced at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo in August, following a collaboration between the NIS, Raytiding Consulting Limited and AKSFA.
It was designed to provide participants with a foundation in sports coaching, combining theoretical instruction with practical sessions to improve their understanding of training methods and athlete development.
During the eight-week period, participants were exposed to the basic principles and techniques of coaching, the organisation of training drills, exercise planning and the management of sporting competitions.
The training was also intended to improve participants’ ability to organise structured coaching sessions, work with athletes at different stages of development and apply appropriate methods in preparing teams for competition.
The programme formed part of the NIS’s wider effort to make professional sports education more accessible to coaches outside major training centres.
By bringing the course to Uyo, the organisers provided participants in Akwa Ibom and the wider South-South region with an opportunity to undertake structured coaching education without having to travel to distant locations for similar training.
Stakeholders welcome grassroots development initiative
The commencement of the programme attracted key figures in Akwa Ibom’s sports sector, including the state Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey; NIS Registrar, Belmond Benson, who represented the institute’s Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Comrade Philip Shaibu; AKSFA Chairman, Samuel Umo; and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board member representing the South-South, Utuekong Nse Essien.
Their participation highlighted the collaboration between sports authorities, football administrators and training providers in efforts to improve coaching standards.
Bassey welcomed the initiative, describing it as an opportunity for coaches in the state who had been seeking access to structured professional training.
He also commended the direction of the NIS under Shaibu’s leadership and encouraged participants to make the most of the opportunity.
Umo, the AKSFA chairman, urged the coaches to regard the programme as a starting point in their professional development rather than the end of their learning.
He stressed that continuous learning and improvement were necessary for coaches to remain effective and contribute meaningfully to football development in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria and the wider African football community.
Essien also commended the NIS for extending coaching education to grassroots practitioners.
He called for similar programmes to be taken to other parts of the country, arguing that wider access to structured training would create opportunities for more coaches to improve their competence.
The NFF board member further encouraged participants to pursue additional qualifications after completing the basic course, noting the importance of continued professional development in building a stronger football ecosystem.
Training targets diverse group of sports practitioners
The Summer Basic Coaching Programme was designed to accommodate a broad range of participants, including football coaches, grassroots trainers, sports academy instructors, youth leaders, retired athletes, club coaches and sports administrators.
Graduates interested in pursuing careers in coaching and other individuals seeking foundational knowledge in sports training were also among the categories targeted by the initiative.
The broad participation base reflects the need to improve coaching knowledge across different levels of the sporting system, from community teams and youth academies to organised clubs.
At the grassroots, coaches often play multiple roles in identifying promising athletes, organising training sessions, teaching technical skills and helping young players understand discipline and teamwork.
Providing these practitioners with structured training can help improve the quality of instruction available to young athletes and strengthen the processes through which emerging talents are identified and developed.
For the participants, completion of the programme represents an opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired during the training and build on it through further education and practical experience.
NIS expands access to professional sports education
The programme aligns with the mandate of the National Institute for Sports to promote sports development through education, technical training and professional capacity building.
Under Shaibu’s leadership, the institute has pursued partnerships and training initiatives intended to broaden access to coaching education across the country.
The NIS operates a zonal structure through which professional sports training can be taken closer to prospective participants. Akwa Ibom falls within the institute’s South-South zone, which is headquartered in Benin City, Edo State.
The Uyo programme demonstrates how collaboration with state football associations and other stakeholders can help bring training opportunities to local coaching communities.
Such partnerships also provide a framework for identifying skills gaps, encouraging professional standards and creating pathways for coaches to progress to higher levels of qualification.
The programme’s completion is therefore significant beyond the graduation ceremony, as its long-term value will depend on how participants apply their training within their respective clubs, academies and communities.
Sustaining the gains beyond graduation
As the coaches prepare to graduate, attention will turn to the application of the knowledge and practical skills acquired during the eight-week course.
Improving coaching standards requires more than introductory certification. It also involves regular practice, access to updated training methods, mentorship and opportunities to undertake more advanced courses.
For grassroots football, better-prepared coaches can contribute to more organised training sessions, improved player development and safer, more effective learning environments for young athletes.
The initiative also highlights the importance of cooperation among national sports institutions, state football associations and private-sector partners in expanding professional development opportunities.
With more than 100 coaches set to complete the programme, the organisers’ next challenge will be to ensure that the benefits of the training extend to the communities and sporting institutions where the graduates work.
The graduation ceremony in Uyo is expected to mark the culmination of the current training cycle while reinforcing the broader objective of building a more knowledgeable and professionally equipped coaching workforce for Nigerian sports.
Spread the word