Femi Oyegbile and Ebele John have long nurtured a passion for sports, but opportunities to showcase their talents were scarce—until 2024, when their school, Iwerekun Community Senior High School in Lakowe, gained support from the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSSTF) through the Education District. Today, both students proudly represent their school in football and basketball.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Despite lacking a proper basketball court, John and her classmates have improvised with available facilities, demonstrating remarkable determination and creativity in pursuing their dream of joining the school team.

Iwerekun Community Senior High School is among 644 public secondary schools in Lagos State that have benefited from LSSTF-provided sports equipment. Over the past eight years, the initiative has also reached 1,020 public primary schools across the 20 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs), as well as five technical colleges and five state tertiary institutions, expanding access to sporting opportunities across the state.

Since its inception in 2017, LSSTF has employed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to fund sports development. Corporate organizations and individuals have actively supported the agency’s mission to improve school sports, including Chief Kessington Adebutu, Sterling Bank, LASACO, Guinness, and others. Their support has enabled LSSTF to provide sports equipment to schools annually since 2019, generating widespread interest among students, games masters, and principals alike.

At Mende Junior High School, Inioluwa Agbaje’s enthusiasm for sports was sparked by the donation of a table tennis board. “After receiving the table tennis board, I began to fall in love with the sport, even though I didn’t know how to play at first. With guidance from my schoolmates and our games master, I’ve started improving. Having the equipment has encouraged many of us to enjoy sports during break periods. I hope LSSTF can also construct basketball and volleyball courts,” Agbaje said.

Similarly, at State Primary School in Agege, pupils eagerly engage in indoor games such as ludo, scrabble, and chess, while some enjoy table tennis or form groups for various activities. Games mistress Olasimbo Idris praised LSSTF’s support but appealed for additional facilities to maintain students’ growing interest in sports.

Executive Secretary Olaposi Agunbiade expressed gratitude to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the main supporter of LSSTF, and to private contributors like Chief Adebutu, Sterling Bank, LASACO, Guinness, and LIRS. He noted plans to increase equipment donations in 2026, particularly to schools lacking basketball, volleyball, and handball courts. Agunbiade also highlighted Lagos State’s remarkable performance at the National Youth Games in Delta, where the state topped the medal table for the first time, surpassing traditional champions Delta.

LSSTF has donated a wide range of sports equipment, including table tennis boards, basketball hoops, running gear, volleyballs, chess and scrabble sets, first aid kits, boxing headgear, judo mats, taekwondo pads, cricket helmets, and swimming gear. Beyond equipment, the agency recently renovated the Olympic-size 50m swimming pool at Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Yaba, which has been handed over to the Lagos State Sports Commission.

In line with its inclusivity drive, LSSTF has also supported the Para Soccer Association of Lagos over the past three years, facilitating the staging of their programs and promoting wider participation in sports.