By Umar Faruk
Birnin Kebbi, May 19, 2026 (Series News Online)- The Kebbi State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has recorded significant achievements in sports and youth empowerment, emerging 5th nationally and 2nd in Northern Nigeria at the just-concluded National Sports Festival.
Commissioner Hon. Nuradden Bala Fingila disclosed this on Tuesday during an inter-ministerial briefing for journalists in Birnin Kebbi, organized by the State Ministry of Information and Culture under the leadership of Hon. Commissioner Ahmed Yakubu.
Presenting the 2026 ministerial briefing on the ministry’s activities, progress, and achievements, Fingila said the ministry advises the state government on youth and sports policy and implements programmes to curb juvenile delinquency, moral decadence, youth restiveness, and drug abuse.
“The Ministry designs programmes and activities to provide opportunities to curb juvenile delinquency, moral decadence, youth restiveness, and drug abuse,” Fingiller said. “We also create an enabling environment that encourages and motivates youth to discover and develop their talents.”
He outlined the ministry’s core functions, including initiating intervention programmes to discover talent, providing training and facilities, promoting youth wellbeing, collecting and analyzing youth-related data, and liaising with national and international agencies.
“Other functions include initiating programmes to reduce youth unemployment, encouraging youth participation at local, national, and international levels, and conducting sensitization against drug abuse and other social vices,” the commissioner added.
Fingila said Kebbi State has recorded notable progress in sports development, particularly in football, under Governor Dr. Nasir Idris Kauran Gwandu.
He noted that the state government sustained Kebbi United FC through logistics and support, enabling the club to compete with top northern teams such as Ranchers Bees, Jigawa Golden Stars, Gombe United, and Yobe Desert Stars.
“Kebbi United has retained its position in the Nigerian National League,” he said.
The commissioner described the club’s run in the 2026 President Federation Cup as historic.
“For the first time since the creation of Sokoto State, a Kebbi State team reached the semifinals of the President Federation Cup,” Fingila stated. “Out of 74 clubs nationwide, Kebbi United was among the last four teams alongside El-Kanemi Warriors of Borno State, Kano Pillars of Kano State, and Akwa United of Akwa Ibom State.”
On player development, he said Kebbi United FC currently has over 15 indigenous players earning a minimum of N150,000 monthly.
“The club serves as a source of employment and a platform for youth talent development,” he added.
Fingila said the state also sponsors 11 clubs in the Nigeria Nationwide League, including Kebbi United FC in the National League, Gwandu United FC and Jega United in Division II, and several others in Division III and play-offs.
Kebbi hosted 20 teams for NLO Division matches and, in collaboration with the African Youth Sports Federation, AYSF, sponsored the Chief of Army Staff U-20 Football Tournament.
Other milestones, he said, include winning the Northern Nigerian ACF Cup Competition and Kebbi Veterans Footballers emerging champions of the Sardauna Veterans Competition in Maiduguri.
“Talent hunt programmes such as the Dodo Mayana Soccer Tournament and Future Super Eagles Talent Hunt have enabled players to progress to the Nigerian Professional Football League,” Fingila said.
The commissioner reported progress across multiple sports associations.
In volleyball, state players were selected for the national team and AC Strikers were sponsored to the National Volleyball League.
“Kebbi was the best team at the National Sports Festival Zonal Elimination,” he noted. State indigenes were also nominated as national volleyball referees.
In basketball, the female team qualified for the Zenith Women Basketball League and three players made the national team. At the National Youth Games in Ilorin, Equity Angels of Kebbi State took 3rd place. The team also won 2nd place at another national competition.
“Several players were promoted to National Handball League clubs,” Fingila said. The state also hosted the Kauran Gwandu Badminton Championship in Birnin Kebbi.
He added that at the National Para Games Abuja 2026, Ibrahim Tukur, a player of the Kebbi State Badminton Team, won a bronze medal.
In beach soccer, Kebbi Fishers are ranked No. 1 in Nigeria and Africa, and among the top 100 clubs globally.
“The club finished as runners-up in the 2025 Nigeria Beach Soccer League,” he said. “Kebbi has hosted the Sallah tournament every year since the inception of the present administration.” He added that Mahmud Hadejia, the Kebbi State Beach Soccer Chairman, was elected president of the Africa Beach Soccer Union.
Kebbi State hosts Nigeria’s only high-performance Taekwondo training centre. The team won gold at the National Youth Games in Ilorin and earned medals at the 2nd Alfagha Cup in Niamey, Niger Republic.
“The team won 1 gold and 4 bronze medals, the only medals by the Nigerian contingent,” Fingila said. At the National Sports Festival, the team secured 2 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medals and is preparing for the World Taekwondo G1 Championship in Abuja.
In cricket, Kebbi sponsored a team to the National Youth Games and won bronze. The state also hosted the U-15 six-team zonal elimination ahead of the National Youth Games Asaba 2025.
Fives Association teams were sponsored to the National Youth Games and National Sports Festival.
“Kebbi Fives are among the top teams in Nigeria and have won numerous laurels,” he said.
The state also recorded successes in Scrabble, Chess, Traditional Sports, Para Sports, and Deaf Athletics.
“Kebbi has consistently won medals at the 18th to 21st editions of the National Sports Festival and international tournaments,” Fingila stated. In Traditional Sports, Kebbi has performed exceptionally in Dambe and Kokuwa since their inclusion in the National Sports Festival.
He added that the state government funded deaf athletes to participate in the National Championship hosted by Imo State, where the association received an award of participation.
On infrastructure, the commissioner announced the successful completion and handover of the FIFA Goal Project to the state government.
Other projects include renovation at the NYSC Orientation Camp Dakin Gari/Basaura, covering a female hostel, clinic, mosque, toilets, borehole, provision of a KVN transformer, and solar system.
He said sports equipment was distributed to all sports associations in 225 wards across 21 local government areas in 2024. Profiling has begun for four skills acquisition centres in Gwandu, Argungu, Yauri, and Zuru Emirates.
The ministry has also created the State Youth Council and State Youth Parliament, and is implementing the State Youth Policy.
On youth development, Fingila said the department coordinates all youth programmes aimed at making youth job creators.
“Sensitization programmes on skills acquisition, the dangers of drug abuse, political thuggery, and conflict resolution between farmers and herders were conducted across the 21 local government areas,” he said.
Skills acquisition training held between January and March 2026 covered dyeing, cosmetics, barbing, hairdressing, and popcorn making. Between April and August, training covered tailoring, computer training, solar installation, and handset repair. From September to November, focus shifted to irrigation farming, fish farming, and animal husbandry.
“The ministry collaborates with federal ministries, agencies, and foreign organizations to train youth in trades, agriculture, and the digital economy,” Fingila added.
Fingila said the state government’s commitment was evident at the just-concluded National Sports Festival.
“Kebbi State placed 5th out of 37 states nationally and 2nd in Northern Nigeria with 12 medals — 5 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze,” he said. “This is the best performance recorded by the state since the creation of the former Sokoto State.”
“Under the leadership of His Excellency Dr. Nasir Idris Kauran Gwandu, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has recorded unprecedented achievements,” Fingila said. “Through strategic investments in infrastructure, talent development, and partnership, the ministry continues to create opportunities that empower youth and enhance Kebbi State’s reputation nationally and internationally.”
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