Nathaniel Idowu Summer Camp ends on high note

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.

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.

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.

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

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

“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.”

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.

“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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.