• Source: American football in Nigeria

American football in Nigeria is the sport of American football in Nigeria. The popularity of American football in the nation has grown substantially since 2010, becoming a major source of talent to the National Football League (NFL). The Nigerian Institute of American Football (NAIF) was the governing body for international American football in Nigeria under the broader International Federation of American Football (IFAF) for Africa until 2019, when the American Football Association of Nigeria (NAFA) took its place.




NAIF history


The institute was founded in June 2011 in Zaria, Nigeria in cooperation with Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) by American former athletes Daryl Hayes, Ricardo Dickerson, and Gregory Hendricks with help from Nigerian athlete Ejike Ugboaja in an effort to popularize American football in the nation.
To educate potential coaches for the sport in the nation, coaching clinics were offered to help teach the basics of the game. The ABU had announced plans to offer a Programme of Study related to coaching American Football sometime in the future.
Since the founding of the NIAF, Nigeria has become the highest football-player-exporting country in Africa, with the Lagos Marines becoming the nation's most popular American football team. American football has also become one of the nation's top ten most streamed sports.




= Funding

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The majority of the NIAF's funding comes from the United States. Cash fundraising events in universities and schools and football material collection drives have mainly supplied the institute to date.




Nigerian American Football Association (NAFA)


Founded in 2019 by Babajide Akeredolu and Oluwaseye Obatolu, NAFA aims to elevate the sport of American Football in Nigeria. Later into its journey, Lawrence Ojaide and Dominik Mueller, a German diplomat and founder of Lagos Marine, came onboard, significantly expanding NAFA's reach. Akeredolu, as a unifying leader, drives engagement and creates opportunities for stakeholders. Obatolu, the architect of NAFA's structure and ethos, shapes the organization's unique identity. Lawrence Ojaide, the on-ground dynamo and driving force on the ground, propelled NAFA's remarkable growth. Ojaide's spearheading efforts have been key in driving NAFA to success. William P. Obubo, Nneka Eze, Chuks Obiazor and Ife Omotalade played roles in the early stages but later took on less prominent positions in the development.




= Funding

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The majority of the NAFA's funding comes from the founders with some help from their sponsors.




= Nigerian Secondary School Flag Football League (NSSFFL)

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The NSSFFL is a league under NAFA whose goal is to promote the sport among secondary school students between the ages of 12 and 18 in the nation. The maiden league consisted of approximately 900 athletes who were part of 20 male and 20 female teams.




Notable players


With the growing popularity of American football in Nigeria, the country has produced many notable players, including more than 50 players who have gone on to play in the National Football League (NFL). Osi Umenyiora, one of the earliest Nigerians to play in the NFL, has become a leader in recruiting and mentoring Nigerian players in the NFL.
Notable players include:




References

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Daftar perbedaan kode negara IOC, FIFA, dan ISO 3166
• Pelé
• Lionel Messi
• Daftar tim nasional sepak bola di dunia
• Amerika Serikat
• Sepak bola dalam 2018
• ISO 3166-1
• Australia
• CNN
• Rose Bowl
• American football in Nigeria
• Nigeria national football team
• Nigerian Americans
• American Football Association of Nigeria
• Nigeria women's national football team
• Nigeria
• Emmanuel Acho
• Akbar Gbaja-Biamila
• David Njoku
• Nigeria Football Federation