The International Cricket Council (ICC) Africa on Wednesday announced Nigeria as the regional winner of the Cricket Initiative of the year 2023, with the PwC Under 17 Cricket Championship also adjudged the rallying point for its national developmental initiative.
According to the ICC Statement on the project, “The ICC Development Initiative of the Year award recognises the outstanding development initiative delivered during the year and regional winners include Nigeria Cricket Federation, whose Under-17 Cricket Championship continues to provide competitive playing opportunities for boys and girls across the country.”
President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata, said the award could not have come at a better time.
“This is an award that celebrates the power of collaboration. PwC and several partners took a gamble on us and backed our developmental initiatives. It is gladdening that the effort is yielding results on a global dimension,” Akpata said.
In recent years Nigeria has also been a regional winner of “Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative of the Year” for the cricket developmental activities at the IDP camp in Edo State and 100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative of the Year for the massive girl-child enrolment initiative in Zamfara State.
The Nigeria women’s team has been on a steady rise rising from 39th on the global ranking to 26th in four years, which culminated in a bronze medal finish at the recent 2023 All African Games in Ghana.
“It is encouraging that the ICC has been monitoring and particularly recognising the efforts of our team of passionate cricket development officers and the Board of the Federation. This will only spur us to go further,” he also said.
Meanwhile, Sam Abu, Country Senior Partner at PwC Nigeria, sponsors of the U-17 Cricket tournament, has said that the latest development confirms the potential that the sponsor saw as well as the belief that cricket can galvanise, empower and equip the Nigerian youths for global impact.
“We are proud of this global recognition for our joint initiative with the Nigeria Cricket Federation, especially for the fact that it confirms that the game has the potential to turn around the lives of our youths,” Abu said.
Sierra Leone and Namibia are also associate nations that won regional honours for the year in review by the International Cricket Council.