…As government upgrades 32-sport complex, Offa and Lafiagi stadia
#KwaraRising
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been commended for what stakeholders describe as the largest and most comprehensive investment in sports infrastructure in the history of the state.
Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Coach Bola Magaji, said the administration’s massive renovation of the George Innih Stadium, Ilorin — including the Pa Gabriel Ladipo Indoor Sports Hall which alone cost over ₦2 billion — has repositioned Kwara as a major sports destination in Nigeria.
“This indoor sports hall alone has gulped over ₦2bn. Government has also invested in the football field, tennis court, squash court, and several others. Not many sectors have enjoyed as much support as sports from His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in the last six years,” Magaji said during a media tour of the stadium by members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council.
He described the stadium as unmatched in Nigeria for its scope and design, housing facilities for 32 different sports in one complex — a feat, he said, that neither Lagos, Abuja, nor Ibadan stadia can match.
“Our sports complex is the only one in Nigeria where you can play almost every sport within a single location except golf. Abuja has packages A and B, but even those don’t compare to what we have here,” he added.
Magaji said the administration’s investment is not limited to the state capital, citing the ongoing reconstruction of the Offa and Lafiagi stadia as part of the Governor’s plan to decentralize sporting facilities and give equal opportunities to athletes across senatorial districts.
He noted that the state’s performance in national competitions has significantly improved under the AbdulRazaq administration, rising from 23rd to 5th place in recent National Sports Festivals — the best performance in Kwara’s history.
“The Governor has given us all the necessary encouragement, financially and morally. Some of our athletes who left Kwara before are now eager to return because of how much the Governor has changed the face of sports in the state,” Magaji said.
He also praised the Governor’s athlete reward policy, which grants ₦1 million for gold medalists, ₦500,000 for silver, and ₦300,000 for bronze winners. Coaches and officials also receive incentives, while top-performing athletes, including those with disabilities, have been gifted brand new cars.
At the Kwara Football Academy (KFA), Magaji lauded the Governor for renovating hostels, dining halls, and clinics to enhance student welfare.
Students of the academy — Abdullahi Hassan, Saad Ahmad, and Adnan Muhammad-Akanbi — described the facilities as among the best in West Africa, noting that the structured academic and training programmes have improved their development both as students and athletes.
“I love football, and I chose KFA because it is one of the best academies in Nigeria,” said Hassan.
Ahmad added: “KFA is one of the best in West Africa. They take good care of us. We have good accommodation, reliable electricity, and a well-equipped medical facility.”
Magaji concluded that Governor AbdulRazaq’s long-term vision for sports development has placed Kwara among Nigeria’s leading sporting states, creating opportunities for young talents and strengthening the local economy through sports tourism.
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