By Emmanuel Afonne

The Women’s Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has officially announced the kick-off of the second edition of its landmark Women in Sports seminar series.

Tony Nezianya, the Public Relations Officer of NOC, said in Abuja on Friday that the series would take place across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones from July 9.

Nezianya stated that President of the NOC, Habu Gumel, would declare open the event, while Kemi Obidahunsi, the Secretary of the Commission, would be the coordinating officer-in-charge of the project.

According to Nezianya, the commission has significantly expanded its horizon to include referees, umpires, and technical officials in this year’s programme following the success of the maiden edition.

“Embracing the spirit of International Women’s Day and its call to accelerate action, the seminar will focus on capacity building in sports,” he said.

Nezianya stated that the seminar aimed at inclusivity, as participation had been opened to many female stakeholders in the sports ecosystem, from administrators and coaches to the newly included technical personnel.

“The seminar series will commence in the North-West Zone and be held from July 9 to July 11, 2025, at the prestigious Business School, CBN Centre of Excellence, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

“It will be immediately followed by the North-Central leg, held from July 14 to July 16, 2025, at the University of Jos.

“The schedule for the remaining geopolitical zones of North-East, South-South, South-East, and South-West, is slated for August 2025, with specific dates and venues to be announced shortly.

“Seasoned sports administrators, coaches and technical experts will deliver lectures and facilitate workshops for the participants.

“This initiative is a cornerstone of the NOC’s strategy to elevate women into leadership roles within the nation’s sporting structure,” Nezianya said.

He added that the seminars were a critical pathway to aligning with the global body like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for greater gender equity in sports governance. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran