Nigeria Cricket Federation wins ICC x Rexona Criiio Cricket Festival of the Year award
Nigeria recognised for grassroots cricket development
The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has been honoured with the ICC x Rexona Criiio Cricket Festival of the Year Award. This international recognition acknowledges the federation’s significant contributions to grassroots cricket development, particularly through its innovative festival in Zamfara State. The award highlights the NCF’s commitment to using cricket as a tool for inclusion, empowerment, and social change within communities.
The festival, themed “Breaking Barriers,” brought cricket to a region where access to sports and education for girls has historically been limited. By integrating sport, culture, and strong community engagement, the initiative aimed to overcome existing barriers, encourage greater participation, and establish a lasting legacy for women’s cricket across Northwest Nigeria.
This achievement reinforces Nigeria’s growing reputation as a leading nation in cricket development. The NCF continues to implement programmes that leverage the sport to promote education, gender inclusion, and community development across the country.
Impact and commendation
Mr. Uyi Akpata, President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, described the award as a victory for all stakeholders who believe in cricket’s transformative power. He stated that the Criiio Festival in Zamfara demonstrated what can be achieved when communities, partners, and volunteers collaborate with a shared vision. The recognition is dedicated to every young girl whose life has been positively impacted by cricket, reaffirming the federation’s commitment to breaking more barriers and creating further opportunities throughout Nigeria.
ICC Chairman, Mr. Jay Shah, commended the award recipients, noting that the awards celebrate the extraordinary work of Associate Members globally. He emphasised how cricket can inspire participation, create opportunities, strengthen communities, and deliver performances that capture global attention. The initiatives recognised display the strength, reach, and potential of the sport across various regions.
The Emirates Cricket Board was also a significant award winner at the ICC Development Awards 2025, securing three global honours for its efforts in expanding the game. Other cricket bodies from Türkiye, Italy, Japan, and Brazil also received awards. The Emirates Cricket Board received the Marriott Bonvoy ICC Development Initiative of the Year award for its Girls U15 Academy League, which was noted as the first of its kind in the region, providing opportunities for young girls in competitive cricket.
The Emirates Cricket Board also shared the ICC Female Cricket Initiative of the Year award with Türkiye Cricket for the second consecutive year. In the UAE, this award recognised the Interschool criiio Gulf Cup and the Emirates Cricket Board’s Get into Cricket – Girls Only programme, both launched after the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. These initiatives expanded girls’ cricket across schools and communities in different emirates. Türkiye Cricket was recognised for organising the largest ICC Women’s Cricket Week celebration in Europe in 2025, involving over 3,000 girls from 20 provinces in various cricket activities.
The Emirates Cricket Board also won the ICC Associate Member Women’s Team Performance of the Year honour. The UAE women’s team achieved a 2-2 ODI series draw against Zimbabwe in their first 50-over series after gaining ODI status, and subsequently won the following T20I series 2-0, marking their first series victory over a higher-ranked Full Member nation away from home. The International Cricket Council announced the global winners during its Annual Conference after selecting them from regional awardees announced in June.
The Nigeria Cricket Federation expressed gratitude to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Rexona, community leaders, schools, volunteers, coaches, development officers, state associations, and all participants whose dedication contributed to the initiative’s success. This global recognition serves as further motivation for Nigeria to expand access to the game and inspire the next generation of cricketers across the country as it continues its ambitious cricket development agenda.
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Source: thisdaylive.com
