A grassroots sports initiative, Q & N Sports Development, has launched a programme aimed at training secondary school students in sports, where Nigeria has limited international representation.

The competition, dubbed, Waves of Champions Football Tournament 2026, focused on identifying promising young athletes from Remo-land particularly, in track and field and helping them reach their full potential through structured training and mentorship in sports activities.

Speaking ahead of the upcoming tournament scheduled for March 28, at the Gateway International Stadium, Shagamu, Ogun State, the Founder, Adewale Adegbite, said the initiative was inspired by Nigeria’s limited representation in athletics at the Olympic Games.

He noted that Nigeria’s size and population should be able to field a strong presence in global track and field competitions.

He noted that the turnout for the first edition of the competition, which was held last year November exceeded expectations, adding that,
“By the end of this year’s event, we aim to officially identify and establish our first set of ‘Waves of Champions’ athletes.”

He noted that the Waves of Champions was created to address this gap by focusing on grassroots talent discovery, particularly among underprivileged and underserved youth.

He said: “When you look at the current situation, many young people don’t even realise the talents they have because of their environment.

I strongly believe this initiative will make a difference. If successful, it will reduce the number of young people roaming the streets without direction. By identifying their talents and guiding them, we can help them not just in sports, but academically and in life. They will learn discipline, respect, and structure.”

He further emphasised that his long-term goal is to identify athletes, train them rigorously with qualified coaches, and prepare them to compete at high levels both within Nigeria and internationally.

Adegbite announced that the competition, which would be featuring football tournament for local clubs, had over 50 schools in participation in the track and field segment. He said that for the football tournament, a cash prizes of ₦1,000,000 would be distributed among the first three winners, while track and field winners will also receive financial rewards.

He noted that to maximise the tournament’s reach and visibility, the initiative is working in collaboration with the Soyoye Akinyode Welfare Initiative (SAWI), a local political group, to drive publicity and strengthen community engagement.