Nathaniel Idowu Summer Camp ends on high note

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The 2026 Nathaniel Idowu Summer Camp ended on a high note at the New Maracana Sports Complex in Tolu, Lagos, at the weekend, with more than 500 children and 200 parents attending the closing ceremony.

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The four-week camp, organised by Peakline Sports World Ltd and supported by the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, focused on grassroots sports development, mentorship and character building among children.

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Twenty certified coaches and seven ad-hoc staff supervised the participants throughout the programme, while meals, medical support and transport allowances were provided for the children.

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Founder of the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, Yemi Idowu, said the camp was established to give children in Ajegunle an opportunity to develop through sport.

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“When we started this, we wanted to give children in Ajegunle hope through sport,” Idowu said.

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“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.”

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The closing ceremony also featured activities for basketball players, with Idowu promising to construct a new basketball court at the Maracana Sports Complex to provide a permanent training facility for the children.

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“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 said.

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The Foundation also continued its commitment to promoting girls’ participation in football through its Let Her Play project, which inducted 32 new female players during the closing ceremony.

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The new players will join the 30 girls already undergoing training as part of the Foundation’s long-term talent development programme.

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As part of efforts to sustain the development of participants beyond the camp, 300 standout performers were selected to continue with weekend training sessions.

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The programme also received support from US-based Gear ’em Up, run by Khadija and Marvelous, which provided kits for participants.

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Parents at the closing ceremony commended the organisers for providing free registration, coaching, meals, medical support and transport assistance throughout the camp.

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The organisers said the programme would continue to focus on identifying and developing young talents while using sport to promote discipline, education and inclusion among children in Lagos.

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