FG concludes plans to renovate Muda Lawal Stadium in Abeokuta

The Federal Government, through the National Sports Commission (NSC), has approved the renovation of the Muda Lawal Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in honor of one of the greatest legends of Nigerian football, Mudashiru Babatunde Lawal.

The revival of the historic stadium is part of the Federal Government’s broader commitment under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to improve sports infrastructure across the country and create world-class facilities that will promote the development of grassroots and elite sports.

The Director General of the National Sports Commission, the Hon. Bukola Olopade, described the project as a “fitting recognition for a true Nigerian sporting icon whose legacy continues to inspire generations of athletes across the country”.

“Muda Lawal remains one of the finest footballers Nigeria has ever produced and deserves to be immortalized through a modern sports facility that will serve not only Ogun State but the entire nation,” the DG said.

He added that the renovation of the stadium will provide a significant boost to football and other sporting activities in the region, especially at a time when sporting participation and youth engagement continues to grow rapidly across the country.

The refurbishment project will include the installation of new tartan tracks and the rehabilitation of major facilities within the stadium to meet modern standards. The renovated complex is expected to become a center for sports and national competitions.

Muda Lawal, originally from Abeokuta, Ogun State, remains one of Nigeria’s most celebrated football heroes. The former Green Eagles player was a central figure in Nigeria’s historic triumph in the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored in a memorable 3-0 win over Algeria to secure the country’s first continental title. He was also instrumental in the success of the IICC Shooting Stars as the club won Nigeria’s first continental club trophy, the African Cup Winners’ Cup, in 1976.

As part of the federal government’s commitment to developing sports infrastructure nationwide, the next three host states of the National Sports Festival will receive strategic support and facility upgrades.

Enugu State, which will be the next immediate host of the National Sports Festival, will benefit from the construction of an Olympic-sized swimming pool, the modernization of its indoor sports hall, the rehabilitation of athletes’ hostels and several other intervention projects aimed at ensuring the successful organization of the Games and long-term sports development in the state.

The National Sports Commission has reaffirmed that these interventions are in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places strong emphasis on youth empowerment, infrastructure renewal and the use of sports as a tool for national development, unity and economic growth.