President of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation, Lekan Fatodu, has called for the creation of a sports development model that gives every talented young Nigerian the opportunity to discover, develop and maximise his or her sporting potential.

Fatodu said such a framework was necessary to unlock the vast opportunities inherent in aquatic sports and ensure the sustainable growth of the sector across the country.

He spoke following his appointment by the National Sports Commission, NSC, to lead the Nigeria Aquatics Federation as part of efforts to reposition sports federations through effective leadership, institutional reforms and a renewed focus on athlete development.

The appointment, approved by the leadership of the NSC, places Fatodu at the helm of the federation responsible for the development of swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming and other aquatic disciplines in Nigeria.

Fatodu’s appointment was announced by the Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, who described the appointment as part of ongoing efforts to reposition sports federations through capable leadership, institutional reforms, and a renewed focus on athlete development.

Speaking on the appointment, Fatodu described the opportunity as a call to service and a responsibility to contribute to the advancement of another critical segment of Nigerian sports.

He said: “This appointment represents an opportunity to build stronger structures for aquatic sports development across the country. Our focus will be on creating pathways that identify talent early, strengthen coaching and technical capacity,

improve competition opportunities, and ensure that Nigerian athletes can compete successfully on the continental and global stage. Sustainable sports development requires systems, consistency, and collaboration, and that is the approach we intend to pursue.”

He added that the future of Nigerian sports lies in the country’s ability to deliberately nurture young talents through organised programmes capable of connecting grassroots participation with elite performance.

He said: “Our objective must be to create a development model where every talented young Nigerian, regardless of location, has a realistic opportunity to discover, develop, and maximise his or her sporting potential. Aquatic sports offer tremendous possibilities, and we must work collectively to unlock them.”

Meanwhile, Fatodu, who is currently the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, LSSC, assumes the leadership of the federation at a period when stakeholders are increasingly demanding stronger structures, improved athlete pathways, enhanced technical development and greater international competitiveness for aquatic sports in the country.