The two-day competition, scheduled for 11 and 12 June, will bring together some of the country’s leading wheelchair basketball teams
Nigeria’s para-sports movement will receive another boost this week as Folmus Wheelchair Basketball Club hosts a four-team invitational wheelchair basketball tournament at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
According to the organisers, the host team Folmus Wheelchair Basketball Club will compete alongside A.D. Bakre Wheelchair Basketball Club, Stacy Dave Care Home, and Flight Transport Wheelchair Basketball Club.
The tournament is expected to showcase the growing standard of wheelchair basketball in Nigeria while providing athletes with another platform to compete and demonstrate their talents.
Organisers say the event forms part of ongoing efforts to promote adaptive sports and create more opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in competitive athletics.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Segun Bailey, on behalf of the organising committee, said the event goes beyond competition and aims to raise awareness of the achievements and capabilities of para-athletes.
“This tournament is more than a competition. It is an opportunity to demonstrate the talent, determination and competitive spirit that wheelchair basketball athletes bring to sport every day. We want to inspire more people and encourage greater support for disability sports across Nigeria,” Mr Bailey said.
He added that the competition would also serve as a platform for talent discovery and foster stronger collaboration among wheelchair basketball clubs across the country.
Wheelchair basketball remains one of the world’s most popular para-sports, combining athleticism, teamwork, and tactical excellence. In Nigeria, stakeholders have continued to advocate for greater investment in the sport through competitions, athlete development programmes, and improved facilities.
The tournament, partly sponsored by American Cola and Aquavie, will take place at the National Institute for Sports section of the National Stadium, Surulere.
Organisers have called on sports enthusiasts, stakeholders, and members of the public to attend and support the athletes as they compete for honours.
With the slogan, “Driven by courage, United by basketball, the event is expected to further highlight the power of sport as a tool for inclusion, empowerment, and community development.
