NSC names Fatodu Nigeria Aquatics Federation president

Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, Photo: Lagos Sports Commission

The National Sports Commission on Friday appointed the Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, as the new president of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation. The announcement was made in a statement by the Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, who described the appointment as part of ongoing efforts to reposition sports federations through capable leadership, institutional reforms, and a renewed focus on athlete development. As president of the federation, Fatodu will oversee the growth and development of swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming, and other aquatic disciplines across Nigeria. Fatodu’s appointment also comes after leading Team Lagos to a historic first-place finish at the ninth edition of the National Youth Games in Asaba last year, where young swimmers from Lagos State dominated the event. Related News Olopade charges federations ahead of 2026 Commonwealth Games Joshua hints at MMA crossover Ofili, Nathaniel lead Nigerian entries for Lone Star Grand Prix Speaking on the appointment, Fatodu described the opportunity as a call to service and a responsibility to contribute to the advancement of another critical segment of Nigerian sports. “This appointment represents an opportunity to build stronger structures for aquatic sports development across the country. Our focus will be on creating pathways that identify talent early, strengthen coaching and technical capacity, improve competition opportunities, and ensure that Nigerian athletes can compete successfully on the continental and global stage. Sustainable sports development requires systems, consistency, and collaboration, and that is the approach we intend to pursue,” he said. He added that the future of Nigerian sports lies in the country’s ability to deliberately nurture young talents through organised programmes capable of connecting grassroots participation with elite performance. “Our objective must be to create a development model where every talented young Nigerian, regardless of location, has a realistic opportunity to discover, develop, and maximise his or her sporting potential. Aquatic sports offer tremendous possibilities, and we must work collectively to unlock them.” Abiodun Adewale Abiodun, who reports Sports for PUNCH, covers different tiers of the Nigerian football league, the national teams, as well as cricket, in the last six years

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