The inaugural edition of the privately organised Africa School Games (ASG) is set to kick off on Friday, October 17, at the British International School (BIS) in Lagos, Nigeria.
This landmark event aims to spotlight the talent and potential of young athletes across the continent.
In its maiden outing, ASG will feature competitions in swimming, athletics, and football across three age categories: U-11, U-13, and U-15. The initiative is designed not only to foster competitive spirit but also to connect young athletes with agents and scholarship opportunities in schools abroad.
According to tournament co-founder Aderoju Ope-Ajayi, ASG was born out of a deep conviction that Africa needs its own platform to celebrate and elevate its young sporting talents.
The vision is being championed by Dr. Seun Akinbohun, Dr. Busola Tejumola, and Ope-Ajayi, who together envisioned a bold, continental stage where African children can compete, excel, and be recognized on their own terms.
“For too long, opportunities for our children have been shaped by external systems. It’s time to change that. ASG is more than a competition,it’s about ownership, pride, and building a legacy for the next generation. It’s a structured school sports ecosystem built on three pillars,” Ope-Ajayi explained.
She outlined ASG’s core mission: continental competition, talent identification, and ecosystem building. The goal is to collaborate with schools, sports federations, governments, and the private sector to build capacity by developing coaches, officials, facilities, and sustainable structures.
Ope-Ajayi also emphasized the need to rethink how sports are managed in Nigeria. “Right now, we treat sports like an extracurricular activity, when in reality, it’s a national development tool. We wait until athletes are adults before paying attention to them and by then, many have fallen through the cracks or exited the system. In countries that dominate global sports, the work starts in schools through structured competitions, investment in coaching, facilities, and talent tracking. If Nigeria wants to compete globally, we must begin at the foundation—early, consistently, and intentionally.”
Looking ahead, she shared ASG’s ambitious future: “We aim to become Africa’s premier school sports platform—consistent, respected, and globally recognized. Our plan is to expand to more countries, more sports, and more schools every year. We want to build a strong talent pipeline that feeds into national teams, scholarships, and global sporting opportunities. We envision a future where young African athletes don’t need to leave the continent to be discovered. Ultimately, ASG will redefine sports in Africa not as an after school activity, but as a strategic growth sector.”