Nigeria, Kosovo Forge Sports Partnership, Plan International Friendly

Nigeria, Kosovo Forge Sports Partnership, Plan International Friendly

By BSN Sports 

Nigeria and the Federal Republic of Kosovo have initiated a bilateral sports partnership aimed at strengthening cooperation in sports development, athlete exchange, and technical capacity building, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The agreement was reached in Abuja during a courtesy visit by Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister, Glauk Konjufca, to the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade.

The partnership aligns with the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Agenda for the Nigerian Sports Economy (RHINSE), which seeks to position sports as a key driver of economic growth and international engagement.

Speaking during the visit, Deputy Prime Minister Konjufca described Nigeria as one of Africa's leading economies with vast human, natural and capital resources, expressing confidence that stronger diplomatic and sporting relations would be mutually beneficial.

"The Government of Kosovo is delighted to be in Nigeria, and we appreciate the warm reception we have received from the Nigerian Government. We believe this visit marks the beginning of a strong and enduring relationship between our two countries," he said.

Konjufca disclosed that the Kosovo delegation had earlier met with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, before engaging with the National Sports Commission to explore areas of collaboration.

Recognising Nigeria's prominence in global sports, particularly football, he proposed an international friendly match between the senior national teams of both countries. He also expressed Kosovo's readiness to support technical cooperation and capacity building in judo, a sport in which the European nation has produced several world and Olympic champions.

"This is why we are proposing a friendly match between the Nigerian national team and the Kosovo national team. We are equally ready to collaborate on capacity building in judo, where Kosovo has recorded significant international success," he added.

Responding, NSC Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade welcomed the initiative, describing it as a significant milestone in Nigeria's efforts to expand international sporting partnerships.

"We are honoured by this gesture from Kosovo and are committed to building a mutually beneficial sporting relationship between our two countries," Olopade said.

He noted that the National Sports Commission, under the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is implementing policies designed to create a sustainable sports economy, adding that the partnership with Kosovo would further support that objective.

According to him, the collaboration will provide opportunities for knowledge exchange, athlete development and stronger sporting diplomacy between both nations.