The UK Home Office, Clean Herts Community, CHC, TAG International, and the British High Commission in Lagos have launched a two-month community sports initiative.
The programme seeks to strengthen communities against crime and empower vulnerable youths across three Lagos councils: Ajeromi, Ikorodu and Ifako Ijaiye.
In a statement on Wednesday, the British High Commission said the initiative, running from September to November 2025, would provide boxing, football coaching, life skills training and mentoring.
According to the commission, local coaches will deliver community-based sessions designed “to build confidence, develop skills, and create positive opportunities for young people.”
The commission recalled that in March 2025, CHC held its first international giveback in Lagos where over 45 youths showcased boxing, football, and digital skills.
“Building on this success, the September–November programme will extend CHC’s reach and deepen its engagement at the grassroots of Lagos communities,” the statement read in part.
At the launch in EliteBox Gym, British Deputy High Commissioner, Simon Field, said the initiative highlights the importance of both international and local partnerships.
“These partnerships can provide young Nigerians with the tools, skills, and opportunities to thrive, and build local communities that are resilient against crime,” he said.
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CHC Director, Nikita Joshua, said sport carries unique power to change lives by offering structure, alternatives, and discipline to vulnerable youths.
“Sports has the power to transform lives, instil discipline, and provide young people with alternatives to crime.
“The programme is about showing young people that hard work, resilience, and sincerity can open up brighter futures,” Joshua noted.
Mr. Adekunle Lamikanra, Coordinator of Ikorodu Crime Prevention Partnership, emphasized the positive pathways that sport can create for at-risk youths.
“Football and boxing build resilience, instil discipline, and draw youths away from the streets,” he said.
Lamikanra stressed that the mentoring sessions were equally crucial in shaping young people’s decisions and shielding them from crime.
“Just as important are the mentoring sessions which speak directly to their minds and help them resist negative influences such as cultism and cybercrime.
“With continuous funding and support, programmes like this must remain a constant in our communities to safeguard our youths and to build a better future,” Lamikanra explained.
The initiative is part of the wider Serious and Organized Crime, SOC, Prevention Programme funded by the UK Home Office and implemented in Nigeria by TAG International.
NAN
