UPDATED: Examining Nestle Nigeria’s 25 Years Contribution To Youth Development Through Sports Sponsorship
L-R: Olutayo Olatunji, Category Manager Beverages at Nestlé Nigeria PLC; Wassim El-Husseini, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Nestlé Nigeria PLC; Olabisi Joseph, President of Nigeria Schools Sports Federation (NSSF); Lanre Balogun, Executive Secretary of National Collegiate Sports Foundation (NCSF) and Babs Ogunade representing the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) during the Press Conference of the 22nd Milo Basketball Championship at the Nestlé Head Office in Lagos in 2022.
Nestlé Nigeria has made significant impacts in the development of grassroots sports in Nigeria as demonstrated in its sponsorship of the Secondary Schools’ Basketball Championship for 25 years. In This article, EDET UDOH examines the impact of this sponsorship on Nigerian youth and sports development generally.
For over two decades now, Nestlé Nigeria has been at the forefront of grassroots sports development in Nigeria through the Nestlé MILO Secondary Schools’ Basketball Championship which helps shape a healthier and happier generation of Nigerians. by encouraging them to participate in sporting activities.
Apart from encouraging the youth to participate in sporting activities, MILO Basketball Championship also provides a platform to help children imbibe values that set the right foundation for their future such as grit – perseverance through hardship, courage to overcome fear, ability to work in a team, self-belief/confidence, respect, and leadership ability.
The MILO Basketball Championship which started with less than 500 schools in 1999 now brings together over 10,000 schools yearly. The MILO Basketball Championship has grown tremendously and now reaches over 150,000 individual players from over 10,000 schools across Nigeria yearly.
Nestlé Nigeria PLC through its MILO Basketball Championship hosted every year has made significant contributions to the growth of sports in Nigeria and the creation of a bright future for young people by supporting and promoting basketball in schools thereby allowing them to make a lifetime career in Basketball and other sporting activities.
Every year, schoolboys and girls in various parts of the country look forward with excitement and enthusiasm to participating in Africa’s biggest grassroots basketball championship. So far, winners have emerged across six geo-political zones of Nigeria including Abuja.
The Championship has produced some of the best basketball talent in Nigeria, some of whom have gone on to play in Nigeria’s National Team and various international basketball leagues, including the National Basketball League (NBL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Nestle Nigeria over the years has been commended by governments and individuals for this laudable gesture for Nigerian youths.
The Managing Director/CEO of the company, Mr. Wassim El-Husseini, while speaking at one of the press conferences organised by Nestle Nigeria to flag off one of the Championships, highlighted the objectives of the Championship and also pledged the company’s commitment to ensuring continuity.
“Since 1999, Nestlé has been at the forefront of grassroots sports development in Nigeria through the Nestlé MILO Secondary Schools’ Basketball Championship.
“We continue to do our utmost to help shape a healthier and happier generation of Nigerians by encouraging them to participate in sporting activities. MILO Basketball Championship also provides a platform to help children imbibe values that set the right foundation for their future. They learn grit – perseverance through hardship, courage to overcome fear, ability to work in a team, self-belief, respect, and leadership.”
Also speaking at the press conference, the Category Manager, Beverages, Nestlé Nigeria PLC, Mr. Olutayo Olatunji said “The MILO Basketball Championship now brings together over 10,000 schools every year. This Championship started with less than 500 schools in 1999. The school game has grown beyond being just a sport to a passion that helps to discipline the body and mind. We thank our long-standing partners – the Nigerian Schools Sports Federation (NSSF), and the National Collegiate Sports Foundation (NCSF) who have been part of the success of the MILO Basketball Championship.”
According to the National President of the Nigeria Schools’ Sports Federation, Olabisi Joseph, Nestlé Nigeria PLC has made significant contributions to the growth of sports in Nigeria and the creation of a bright future for young people by supporting and promoting basketball in schools.
“Every year, our schoolboys and girls look forward to participating in the biggest grassroots basketball championship in Africa, which is fondly called MILO Basketball,” she added.
Category Manager for Beverages, Nestlé Nigeria, Mr. Olutayo Olatunji (middle) presenting the winner’s trophy to the girls from St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School Amarata Yenagoa, Bayelsa State at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba recently after the girls won the girls category of the Atlantic Conference of the 23rd MILO Secondary Schools Basketball Championship.
Mr. Lanre Balogun, Executive Secretary of the National Collegiate Sports Foundation (NSSF), speaking at the press conference organised to announce the commencement of the Championship in 2022, commended Nestle for its contribution to the development of sports in Nigeria and called on other corporate entities in the country to emulate them.
He said, ”This Championship continues to grow from strength to strength, thanks to the commitment of our sponsors, Nestlé Nigeria PLC. We will all agree that 22 years of continuous sponsorship in the life of any organization is highly commendable and worthy of emulation. Therefore, Nestlé Nigeria PLC deserves all the accolades for maintaining the sponsorship of this event.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. C. A. Abioye thanked Nestlé for their invaluable support over the years. She also called on other corporate bodies to follow in their footsteps by supporting school sports.
Mrs. Abioye said, “The Oyo State Government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that Sports is taken to higher heights. One such effort is the upgrading of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, including the Indoor Sports Hall, the venue of this programme. The government encourages students’ participation in sports by supporting inter-house sports competitions, which are yielding favourable results in students’ performance at competitions”.
The growing success of the Championship is due greatly to the efforts of the partners/stakeholders including the Nigerian Schools Sports Federation (NSSF), the National Collegiate Sports Foundation (NCSF) and the Ministries of Sports, Youth Development and Education in the various States. These organisations have worked tirelessly with MILO to bring awareness to basketball in Nigeria, making Nigeria one of the leading Basketball nations in the world.
In 2023, according to the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), Nigeria was said to have had the highest number of players in Africa playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) league. NBA is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams. It is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered the premier professional basketball league in the world.
Also, the global governing body, the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) in 2021, ranked Nigeria as Africa’s top men’s basketball nation. After the 2016 Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament in Rio, Nigeria was ranked 16th in the FIBA World Rankings, making them the top climber in FIBA rankings from 2015.
Presently, Nigeria is the only African nation to beat the United States. Nigeria is also the first African team to qualify for the Summer Olympics through the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament. This was accomplished at the 2012 Event when Nigeria beat the world elite teams of Lithuania and Greece. In 2015, Nigeria won its first crown as the basketball champion of Africa. All these wouldn’t have been possible if there were no basketball players, so thanks to Nestle Nigeria’s support of grassroots sports and contribution to the development of basketball players in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the 2024 edition of the Milo Baseball Championship which took place at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, saw nearly 12,000 schools participating, showcasing a thrilling display of young talent.
According to premiumtimesng.com, after a series of intense matches across local governments, states, and zones, champions finally emerged: Ijaiye Housing Estate Grammar School, Lagos, in the boys’ category, and Dom Domingos College, Delta State in the girls’ category.
Both teams displayed not only exceptional skills but also remarkable tenacity and discipline.
Fans at the National Stadium were on the edge of their seats throughout the boys’ final.
Ijaiye Housing Estate Grammar School started strong, scoring the first basket and three-pointer.
However, Father O’Connell Science College, Niger State, quickly countered, keeping the game close.
The first quarter ended with Niger leading 11-7.The second quarter was a tightly contested battle, ending with Niger holding a narrow 20-16 lead at halftime.
Lagos came out firing in the third, taking the lead with a three-pointer and additional points.
They dominated this quarter, winning it 12-3 and heading into the final quarter with a 28-23 advantage.
The drama continued in the final minutes. With barely two minutes left, the score was tied at 32-32.
Just as it seemed Niger might snatch victory, Lagos clawed their way back, forcing overtime at 38-38.
The extra time belonged to Lagos. They displayed incredible resilience, scoring eight straight points to take a commanding 46-38 lead.
Though Niger fought back, closing the gap to 46-45 with a minute remaining, Lagos held on for a thrilling 49-45 victory.
In the girls’ category, Dom Domigos College faced off against the defending champions, Topfield College, Ajegunle, Lagos.
Topfield got off to a strong start, leading by nine points in the first quarter.
However, Dom Domigos College didn’t back down. They fought back, eventually emerging victorious with a final score of 44-38.
The winning teams and players were ecstatic about their achievements, crediting their success to hard work, teamwork, and perseverance.
Players expressed their gratitude for the support of coaches and the value of the Milo Basketball Championship experience.
Nestlé Nigeria Plc’s Managing Director, Wassim El-Husseini, commended the participants’ sportsmanship and congratulated everyone involved.
He emphasised the championship’s role in fostering a culture of inclusivity, collaboration, and excellence.
He also highlighted Nestlé’s commitment to empowering the next generation of athletes by instilling values like perseverance, endurance, and teamwork through initiatives like the Milo Basketball Championship.
“At Nestlé, we are deeply committed to our values. We believe in a culture of inclusivity, culture of collaboration and excellence. Our passion constantly drives us to innovate and create a positive impact in the lives of young athletes through initiatives like the Milo Basketball Championship as we strive to empower the next generation as we instil value perseverance, endurance and teamwork,” he said.
Aside from the fanfare and fireworks, the Milo championship also featured a special category for young people with disabilities, highlighting its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The winners walked away with a championship trophy, cash prizes, basketball kits, and an array of MILO goodies.
Indeed, Basketball has been affirmed as a veritable tool used in curbing insurgency, youth restiveness and unemployment in the northern region of Nigeria.
This assertion was made by the North East zone representative on the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Alhaji Abba Kaka.
Kaka who is the Chairman of the Borno State Basketball Association made this known while addressing stakeholders at the Annual General Meeting of the association in Maiduguri.
According to him, Nigeria has a young population which is a blessing in disguise if well harnessed. This population can channel their energy into sports such as basketball which will not only solve the problem we face as a nation but turn to a goldmine in boosting the economy.
“The recent nationwide protest by youths across Nigeria is an indication of an urgent need to address youth restiveness if we are to avoid the landmine ahead,” Kaka said.
With Mr. Kaka’s submission, it means that Nestle Nigeria, through its Milo Basketball Championship, has contributed immensely to the reduction of youth unemployment, insurgency and restiveness thereby promoting peace and security in Nigeria.
This also underscores the need for other corporate entities to emulate what Nestle Nigeria is doing especially in the area of youth empowerment through sports, entrepreneurship and technical training. This will go a long way in building thriving communities, engendering prosperity and building the Nigeria of our dreams.
