As part of efforts to popularize American football, the President of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), Tommy Wiking will visit Nigeria next month with the aim to establish the foothold of the sport.

The body Development Director for Africa, Marc_Angelo Soumah, as well as USA Football Executive Director, Scott Hallenbeck and other IFAF officials, will also accompany Wiking.

This is in collaboration with the Amobi Okoye Foundation, a body working strongly to popularise the game within the shores of Nigeria.

Also there are plans by IFAF to set up a continental federation to govern the game in Africa.

At present, American football is currently governed by IFAF through four continental federations – Asia, Europe, Oceania and Pan_American – and in addition to spreading the appeal of the sport internationally, establishing Africa as a fifth territory to satisfy one of the many requirements necessary to apply for International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition.

To actualize this in Africa, IFAF Executive Committee has appointed Soumah as the body Development Director for Africa.

“There are many players in the NFL with African connections who were either born there and moved to the United States when they were young, or who have family ties to Africa,” said Soumah. “Their success shows that there are many athletes in Africa who are capable of playing the game at the highest level.

“I am excited and honored to have been given the responsibility in this IFAF role to help develop the sport in Africa, where I believe American football can become popular played both as a recreational activity and as a sport that can produce potential NFL players.”

At a meeting held in Austin, Texas, last week, officials representing IFAF, the Amobi Okoye Foundation and national federations who will drive the African initiative discussed plans that will introduce the sport of American football to Nigeria, Senegal and the Congo before expanding to additional countries.