ABUJA — The Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has received a significant boost to its grassroots and elite athlete development programmes following the donation of badminton equipment by the Badminton Association of Japan under the Japanese Government’s Sport for Tomorrow (SFT) initiative.

The presentation ceremony, held in Abuja, underscored the growing sporting relationship between Nigeria and Japan and drew a host of dignitaries, including Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel, Director General of the National Institute for Sports, Philip Shaibu, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Anthony Adegboye.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Suzuki described the donation as a reflection of the strong friendship between both countries and a demonstration of sport’s capacity to foster international cooperation and mutual understanding.

According to the ambassador, the donation forms part of Japan’s Sport for Tomorrow programme, which promotes global sporting exchanges and development through strategic partnerships.

He explained that the initiative emerged from discussions between President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, and President of the Badminton Association of Japan, Mitsuru Murai, both members of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Council. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also supported the project by covering the cost of transporting the equipment to Nigeria.

The donated items comprise 55 badminton rackets, 44 shuttlecocks, six racket covers and three racket bags.

“We sincerely hope this donation will contribute to the continued growth and development of badminton in Nigeria, enabling more people to enjoy the sport and inspiring the younger generation to pursue their sporting dreams,” Ambassador Suzuki said.

Responding, BFN President Francis Orbih expressed gratitude to the Japanese Government and the Badminton Association of Japan, describing the gesture as a major intervention that would positively impact the sport’s development in the country.

“We are very happy as a federation. We see it as a commendable gesture, and we are looking forward to building on this partnership because equipment is critical to players’ development,” Orbih said.

The BFN president revealed that the federation has secured an additional shipment of 500 badminton rackets, 100 nets and 200 shuttlecocks, a development he described as a major breakthrough in addressing one of the key challenges facing badminton development in Nigeria.

Orbih also disclosed plans to register badminton academies nationwide and launch a National Badminton League to strengthen grassroots participation and create a structured pathway for emerging talents.

According to him, the newly donated equipment will primarily support members of Nigeria’s senior and junior national teams, while additional equipment will be deployed for competitions and grassroots programmes such as Shuttle Time to encourage wider participation in the sport.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, praised the federation for attracting international partnerships capable of accelerating athlete development and raising standards within the sport.

He noted that access to quality badminton equipment would improve training conditions for Nigerian players and enhance their competitiveness on the international stage.

Dikko also commended the Japanese Government for its support, describing the donation as another milestone in the growing collaboration between Nigeria and Japan.

The Badminton Federation of Nigeria reiterated its commitment to leveraging strategic partnerships to deepen grassroots participation, improve athlete development and strengthen the country’s position as one of Africa’s leading badminton nations.

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DUBLIN, Ireland, June 28 – Nigeria’s para badminton star Eniola Bolaji continued her impressive rise on the international circuit by winning a silver medal at the 2026 British & Irish Para Badminton International on Sunday.

The Paralympic bronze medallist and World Championships silver medallist finished runner-up in the women’s SL3 singles event after losing 21-18, 23-21 to Japan’s Shino Kawai in a closely contested final at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena in Dublin.

Despite falling short of the title, Bolaji produced a series of commanding performances en route to the final, underlining her status as one of the world’s leading para badminton players.

The Nigerian began her campaign with victories over India’s Neeraj, winning 21-15, 21-3, before overcoming France’s Milena Surreau 21-19, 21-13 in the group stage.

She maintained her dominant form in the knockout rounds, defeating Türkiye’s Halime Yildiz 21-16, 21-7 in the quarter-finals before dismantling Australia’s Celine Vinot 21-7, 21-9 in the semi-finals to secure a place in the championship match.

Although Kawai once again proved a difficult obstacle, Bolaji pushed the Japanese star all the way in a fiercely fought final, particularly in the second game, which was decided by the narrowest of margins.

Reacting to the result, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, hailed Bolaji’s achievement and expressed confidence that the Nigerian could soon reverse the outcome against her Japanese rival.

“It was a fantastic performance, and I am very happy with what Eniola achieved,” Orbih said. “I am motivated to intensify efforts to ensure she trains outside the country because it is only a matter of time before she starts beating the Japanese player, Shino Kawai.

“I have congratulated her for setting the tone once again, and we are looking forward to arranging a three-month training tour abroad to further improve her game.”

Orbih revealed that the federation is already working on plans to secure an overseas training programme for Bolaji as part of efforts to help her regain the world number one ranking, which she recently lost to Kawai.

The BFN president also acknowledged the support provided by the National Sports Commission (NSC), the Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA), as well as sponsors Yonex and GIG Logistics in aiding the athlete’s development.

Bolaji’s silver-medal performance in Dublin adds another significant achievement to her growing list of international successes and reinforces Nigeria’s increasing presence in global para badminton.

With further international exposure and specialised training programmes in the pipeline, Nigerian officials remain optimistic that Bolaji can challenge for more major titles and establish herself once again as the world’s top-ranked SL3 women’s singles player.

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The Badminton Federation of Nigeria has concluded a two-day strategic retreat in Abuja aimed at repositioning the sport for sustainable growth, grassroots expansion, elite performance and greater contribution to Nigeria’s sports economy.

The retreat, held from May 13 to 14, brought together major stakeholders in the sports sector, including the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel; Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko; President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih; as well as board members and technical officials.

Discussions at the retreat centred on developing a comprehensive strategic framework for badminton development, with a focus on grassroots expansion, elite athlete pathways, technical advancement, gender inclusion, competition structures, sports business opportunities and athlete welfare.

Speaking during the retreat, NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko said the initiative aligns with the Commission’s Renewed Hope Initiative Framework, which requires sports federations to establish measurable and sustainable development plans.

According to Dikko, sports development must extend beyond the pursuit of medals to include economic growth, youth empowerment and sustainable sporting structures.

“This is part of what we have asked all federations to do. They must assess their capacity, define their short, medium and long-term goals, and come up with strategic plans that can guide their development programmes,” Dikko stated.

“You cannot isolate grassroots development from elite performance, technical growth or sports business. Everything must grow together if sports are to become a strong contributor to the Nigerian economy,” he added.

NOC President Habu Gumel commended the leadership of the federation for the steady progress badminton has recorded both locally and internationally.

Gumel stressed the importance of continuity and long-term planning in sustaining the growth of sports federations.

“Badminton is doing very well both in Nigeria and internationally, and the federation’s leadership has continued to position the sport positively so that our athletes can continue to make the country proud,” Gumel said.

“Federations must continue to build structures that will sustain progress, nurture talents and ensure continuity. What badminton is demonstrating today reflects vision, purpose and commitment to development,” he noted.

Earlier, BFN President Francis Orbih explained that the retreat was organised to align stakeholders behind a unified vision for the sport over the next four years and beyond.

Orbih said the federation’s development agenda remains holistic, focusing on player development, technical education, gender inclusion, administration and financial sustainability.

“This retreat is about having strategic conversations that will give direction to the future of badminton in Nigeria. Our focus is on grassroots development, technical advancement, elite performance and creating pathways that will consistently produce podium results,” Orbih said.

“As we develop players, we are also developing coaches, umpires, technical officials and administrators because every part of the system is important for sustainable growth. We also want more women involved both in playing and administration,” he added.

Technical Director of the federation, Tunde Kazeem, described the technical department as the engine room of badminton development and highlighted plans to strengthen coaching, officiating and player data management nationwide.

Kazeem said the federation would intensify grassroots and female badminton development through structured age-grade competitions, school programmes and nationwide talent identification initiatives.

“We are looking at the database of players, the number and grading of coaches, as well as technical officials, because you cannot develop players without sound coaches and efficient umpires,” Kazeem explained.

“We are paying more attention to female badminton while expanding grassroots tournaments across all zones with Under-12, Under-15, Under-19 and senior competitions. We are also engaging states on facilities development and preparing to host more national and continental events,” he added.

The retreat is expected to produce a detailed strategic framework that will guide the federation’s competition calendar, technical growth, talent identification system and international performance targets in line with Nigeria’s broader sports development agenda.

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