Sports industry development and mentorship platform, Sports Apprentice, will hold its inaugural football forum in Abuja, Nigeria, on November 27, 2025, which will be followed by a career bootcamp on November 29, 2025, the organisers have said.
 
According to them, the Football Forum will herald three days of activations with keynote speakers, presentations, panel discussions and football legends in conversation, as well as networking opportunities.
 
The conversations will focus on football development, digital sports transformation and technology, sports marketing and sponsorships, sports media and communications and manpower development, as well as the launch of a media platform developed as part of the group projects by the participants of the programme.
 
The event will also include the graduation of the Sports Apprentice Class of 2025, including 17 Nigerians and eight other participants drawn from other African countries, Zambia, Kenya, South Africa, Gambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
 
The festivities will be rounded off with the Sports Apprentice Bootcamp on November 29, 2025, at Mo Arena in Wuse,  Abuja. The Bootcamp is open to young people aged between 18 and 35, who are interested in pursuing careers in the sports industry.
 
The Sports Apprentice has, over the years, produced some of the most talented sports industry practitioners drawn from Ghana,  Zimbabwe, Botswana, Egypt, Senegal,  Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa,  France, the UK, USA and Canada.
  
Project Director/leader, Emeka Enyadike, explained the reason for the football forum: “Nigerian and indeed African football is at a very significant stage of development where we need to step up our knowledge as a country and a continent with the advancements in technology and new revenue sources fuelled by fan engagement.
 
“We need education, conversations, more research and learning to prepare our managers, administrators, coaches and players.
 
“The football forum is designed to create a platform for engagement, entertainment and transformation with the experts and resource persons.”