NIGERIA WINS ICC GLOBAL AWARD FOR BEST FEMALE CRICKET INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR 2022
This is contained in a statement on the ICC website…
Winner of the 100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative of the Year – Nigeria Cricket Federation
Nigeria are the winners of this year’s award on the back of significant results obtained from delivering cricket programmes in Zamfara state, a region in the north-west of the country where a number of barriers exist preventing women from participating in sport.
Overcoming significant obstacles in the region such as religion, ethnicity, tribe and tradition, cricket programmes were introduced to provide social benefits to women living in Zamfara. Despite initial resistance, these introductory sessions proved hugely successful, resulting in Nigeria Cricket Federation recording over 15,000 female participants in 2022. These endeavours eventually led to a representative team competing in the National Under-17 Championships, thus transforming lives for the better in the region.
This is the 3rd consecutive global ICC award the NCF has won. This award comes on the backdrop of the continental award in 2019 where Nigeria won the Best Grassroots development program for Africa with the Naija Kids initiative. You may recall that in 2020 during the pandemic year, Nigeria won the ICC Female Cricket Initiative program of the Year through the Girls Aspire initiative, In 2021, the Internally displaced persons (IDP) Special Intervention Program in Edo state was remarkable enough to clinch the ICC Best Social Impact Award . For 2022, Nigeria wins the ICC Best Female Initiative Award, making it the 2nd time. This shows the success Nigeria has made in the last few years towards the development of Female Cricket.
The success of Nigeria Cricket on the global stage is a clear reflection of the hard work, determination and sincerity of purpose by the Uyi Akpata led Board of the Nigeria Cricket Federation.
Congratulations NCF once again for yet another milestone achievement.
