French Embassy Hosts Tinubu’s Aide On Strategic Talks For Grassroots Sports Partnership
By Akeem Busari
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye, on Friday, February 6, 2026, led a high-level delegation from his office on a strategic engagement visit to the French Embassy in Nigeria, aimed at strengthening partnership and collaboration in grassroots sports development.
The delegation was warmly received by Ms. Ketty Regis, Attachée de Coopération at the French Embassy, who hosted the meeting on behalf of the French Ambassador to Nigeria.
During the engagement, Ms. Regis outlined the French Embassy’s extensive programmes that use sports as a major tool for youth empowerment, social inclusion, education, and community development.
She emphasized France’s long-standing commitment to leveraging sports diplomacy to foster unity, discipline, and opportunity, particularly among young people across Africa.
She highlighted France’s support for initiatives in coaching education, sports administration, youth exchange programmes, community sports projects, and institutional partnerships, noting that sports remains a powerful platform for building character and strengthening bilateral relations.
Discussions at the meeting focused on existing and prospective collaborative sports programmes, with sports identified as a major area of cooperation between both countries.
Key areas explored included youth development, community-based sports initiatives, coach education, institutional capacity building, talent exchange programmes, and the use of sports as a tool for social inclusion and diplomacy.
Speaking at the meeting, Hon. Adeboye stressed that grassroots sports remain central to Nigeria’s national development agenda under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“This visit is about building meaningful partnerships and deepening collaboration.Grassroots sports are the foundation of national success, and through international cooperation, we can create sustainable opportunities that positively impact Nigerian youths and communities,” Adeboye said.
He added that collaboration with global partners such as France aligns with the Federal Government’s broader vision of youth empowerment, social cohesion, and long-term sports development.
Both parties expressed optimism at the end of the meeting, agreeing to explore concrete frameworks for continued partnership, collaboration, and programme implementation, particularly in training, exchange initiatives, and grassroots sports competitions.
The visit further underscores the SSA’s commitment to positioning grassroots sports as a powerful platform for youth development, international collaboration, and national growth.
