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The Continental American Football League (CAFL) of Africa said it is set to commence American football (rugby) activities in Makurdi and 15 other Nigerian cities as part of its expansion programme aimed at discovering and developing sporting talents across the country.
The 16 cities include Makurdi, Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin, Abuja, Lafia, Lokoja, Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Enugu, Owerri, Asaba, Warri, Port Harcourt and Uyo.
Founder and Commissioner of CAFL, Muhammad El Muhammad, disclosed this on Wednesday in Makurdi during a press conference to herald the events, saying the league would commence in Nigeria in March 2027.
El Muhammad, an American entrepreneur, sports executive and former professional athlete, said the initiative was designed to bring American football closer to Nigerians while creating opportunities for young people to participate in the sport and develop careers around it.
He announced plans by the league to establish a football academy in Makurdi to identify and nurture hidden talents in Benue, which he described as a state with enormous sporting potential.
According to him, Benue has talents that are yet to be fully harnessed and could contribute to Nigeria’s sporting development and the international sporting arena if given the necessary opportunities.
“When I see Benue, I see a mountain of opportunities and talents yet to be fully harnessed, hence the need to tap from it for the good of the people. There is not enough room for all qualified and talented Africans to make it to America and that is why we want to bring it to Africa and Nigeria to make it a reality.
“By making American football a reality in Benue, we want to bring the same economic power as it is in America. Benue would become a tourist attraction soon and I look forward to serving the state,” he said.
The CAFL Commissioner explained that the Benue State Government has given its nod for the programme to take off in the state, adding that government was expected to provide an enabling environment, including playing pitches and security, without necessarily providing financial assistance for the take-off.
He further disclosed that the programme would include medical support for players, with clinics to be established and trained sports therapists made available to attend to players who sustain injuries during sporting activities.
El Muhammad, an American entrepreneur, sports executive and former professional athlete, is the founder and commissioner of CAFL. He said the league was being developed as a professionally organised and fully televised American football competition, with plans to establish a sustainable sports and entertainment enterprise across Africa.
He said CAFL’s expansion strategy involved building relationships with broadcasters, government representatives, corporate organisations, medical professionals, universities and members of the African diaspora.
The Head of Marketing, Benue Television, Solomon Awua, said the arrival of CAFL had ushered in a new vision for sports in the state.
Awua said the initiative had challenged the long-standing pattern in which major sporting opportunities were perceived to begin in Lagos and end in Abuja, urging the people of Benue State to take the opportunity seriously.
The Director of Sports, Benue State Sports Council, Dr Iorngurum Malu, commended the CAFL management for showing interest in the state’s sporting sector, saying Governor Hyacinth Alia is passionate about sports development and would create an enabling environment for the programme to succeed.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council, Bemdoo Ugber, and the State Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Hembadoon Orsar, also commended CAFL for involving the media from the early stage of the initiative.
Ugber and Orsar assured the organisers that journalists in the state would partner with CAFL to achieve its objective of discovering and developing sporting talents in Benue.
Coordinating the activities during the event, Bishop Sam Praise described the programme as more than a media event, saying it was a practical initiative that required the support of individuals, organisations and other stakeholders to achieve its objectives in the state.
