NAFA Completes First Ever Flag Football Exhibition For Colleges And Universities in Nigeria

The Nigeria Collegiate Flag Football League (NCFFL), an initiative of the Nigeria American Football Association (NAFA), made history on Saturday, September 6th, 2025, at Unique Open University, (Ikeja Campus) Agidingbi, Ikeja where it hosted its first-ever exhibition games.

The event brought together over 60 student-athletes from four tertiary institutions across Nigeria, competing in 8 thrilling games before a crowd of 500 enthusiastic spectators. Remarkably, 65% of the participants were first-time players, showcasing NAFA’s ambitious goal of making Flag Football accessible across all levels and age groups.
Notably, about 25% of the athletes had once competed at the Nigeria Secondary School Flag Football League (NSSFFL), underscoring its role as a grassroots pathway feeding talents into the NCFFL.

The tournament ended with Unique Open University emerging as champions, capping a day that blended competition, community, and celebration.

In a surprise gesture, the President and Founder of Unique Open University, Prof. Chris Imumolen, awarded the winners a cash prize of ₦1 million, describing it as “an investment in youth excellence and a way to encourage innovation through sports.” 
He commended NAFA for introducing a fast-growing global sport to Nigerian students and urged the athletes to see the platform as a springboard for both athletic and leadership growth.

Speaking at the event, NAFA President, Babajide Akeredolu, emphasized the vision behind NCFFL:

“Our goal is clear, we want to build a clear pathway for Flag Football, from secondary schools to universities and into professional opportunities. This exhibition has shown us that Nigeria has the talent and passion. The NCAA in the U.S. became the talent pool for the NFL; we envision the NCFFL becoming that same pipeline for Nigeria and Africa.”

This vision is already being realized through collaboration with the Community Flag Football League (CFFL), whose teams trained the student-athletes for over five weeks in preparation for the exhibition.

In his remarks, Vice-President of NUGA, Dr. Emmanuel Okeme, shared his excitement:
 “Watching these students play with such energy and discipline for the first time was inspiring. I am confident that Flag Football will become a key sport in Nigerian universities, and NUGA will support its integration.”

Also speaking, Coordinator of NAFA’s Collegiate Programs, Jesunifemi Tenten, added:
 “The NCFFL is just one of the programs we are rolling out to expand American football in Nigeria. Others will follow in due time, but today’s event has proven that our vision is not just possible, it is already happening.”

An athlete from the winning school,  reflecting on the historic victory said, “This was my first time playing Flag Football, and I can’t believe we are leaving here as champions. The training and the experience were incredible, and it has opened my eyes to new opportunities through sports.”

The NCFFL exhibition game is only the beginning. NAFA has announced plans to expand the program across all six geo-political zones and seven states, with a target of training over 1,000 new student-athletes nationwide. The league will return in full force at the 2025 NUGA Games in UNILAG, where more schools are expected to join.

Flag Football has been officially approved as a sport for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, making Nigeria’s early investment in the sport timely. By positioning Nigerian students at the forefront, NAFA is setting the stage for future Olympians.

The success of the NCFFL exhibition highlights what is possible when institutions, sports bodies, and communities work together. NAFA calls on stakeholders, schools, corporate sponsors, and government to partner in expanding Flag Football across Nigeria.

“This was more than an exhibition; it was a movement,” Akeredolu concluded. “And we are only just beginning.”

The Nigeria American Football Association (NAFA) is Nigeria’s only National body dedicated to growing the game of American Football which includes Tackle Football and Flag Football. Established in 2019, its vision is to create opportunities through the game of American football and it achieves this through its mission mantra tagged “The HUDDLE Way” an acronym for Health, Unity, Diversity, Development, Livelihood and Entertainment. 

Since its inception, NAFA has hosted an array of programs dedicated to grassroots development which include its Capacity building initiatives with NFL Flag & NFL Africa and its Secondary School (High School) league in collaboration with the Nigerian School Sports Federation. 

To date, NAFA has introduced the game of American Football directly to over 10,000 young men and women in 18 States and over 300 schools and has led Nigeria to its first victory at the maiden Africa Continental Flag Football Championship games. 
NAFA is an Associate member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF).