Femi Oyegbile and Ebele John have always loved sports, but for years they lacked opportunities to showcase their talent. That changed in 2024 when their school, Iwerekun Community Senior High School, Lakowe, benefited from the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSSTF) through the Education District. Today, both students proudly represent their school in football and basketball.

Despite the absence of a proper basketball court, John and her schoolmates improvised with limited facilities to hone their skills. Their determination and creativity have fueled their dream of playing for the school team.

Iwerekun Community Senior High School is one of 644 public secondary schools in Lagos State that have received sports equipment from LSSTF. In addition, 1,020 public primary schools across the 20 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) have benefited from LSSTF’s support over the past eight years. The initiative has also extended to five state’s technical colleges and five state tertiary institutions, ensuring wider access to sporting opportunities.

Since its inception in 2017, LSSTF has raised funds for sports development using the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. This approach has yielded positive results, with corporate firms and individuals supporting the agency’s mission to transform school sports in Lagos.

Chief Kessington Adebutu, Sterling Bank, LASACO, Guinness, and other partners have consistently answered LSSTF’s call, enabling the agency to support more schools across the state. From students to games masters and principals, LSSTF has ignited interest in sports by providing equipment annually since 2019.

For Inioluwa Agbaje of Mende Junior High School, the donation of a table tennis board sparked a new passion:
“After our school got the table tennis board, I started falling in love with table tennis, though I didn’t know how to play initially. With the help of my schoolmates and our games master, I’ve started picking it up. Having the equipment has made many of us love sports, especially during break periods. I look forward to more equipment and hope LSSTF can construct basketball and volleyball courts so we can use the balls donated to us.”

At State Primary School, Agege, pupils eagerly scramble for indoor games like ludo, scrabble, and chess whenever their games mistress, Olasimbo Idris, brings them out. Some prefer table tennis, while others form groups around indoor games.

Idris praised LSSTF’s support but appealed for more facilities:

“Since we got the equipment, pupils’ interest in sports has increased. Many now have the chance to play on a standard table tennis board. We hope to sustain their interest with more equipment, particularly a standard basketball court.”

Excited by the impact of LSSTF’s work, Executive Secretary Olaposi Agunbiade praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for being the fund’s main supporter, while also acknowledging the backing of Chief Adebutu, Sterling Bank, LASACO, Guinness, and LIRS.

“We remain grateful to our number one supporter, the amiable and sports-loving Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as well as our private supporters. With more support, we can do more. In 2026, we plan to increase our donations, as we’ve discovered that most schools lack facilities like basketball, volleyball, and handball courts.”

Agunbiade also highlighted Lagos’ triumph at the last National Youth Games in Delta, where the state topped the medal table ahead of perennial champions Delta:

“In Lagos, we focus on discovering and developing athletes. This was evident in our victory at the National Youth Games, where for the first time, we beat host Delta to the overall title. This inspires us to source more support from well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies.”
Among the equipment donated by LSSTF to schools across the state are: table tennis boards, Basketball hoops with stands, Running vests and pants, Spikes (for jumps and throws), Volleyballs, Relay batons, Chess boards, Scrabble boards and dictionaries, First aid kits, Dart boards with
arrows, Boxing headgear, Judo mats, Taekwondo kicking pads, Cricket helmets and Swimming caps and goggles.

Beyond equipment, LSSTF has also completed the renovation of the Olympic-size 50m swimming pool at Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba, handing it over to the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC).

In its inclusiveness drive, the agency has supported the Para Soccer Association of Lagos, helping stage their programmes over the last three years.