From Salim Umar Ibrahim, Kano
The Kano State chapter of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project has hosted a week-long sporting event featuring volleyball and basketball competitions across selected secondary schools as part of its commitment to the holistic development of adolescent girls.
Speaking during the ongoing AGILE Games 2025 Week activities at the Government Girls College (GGC) Gala, State Project Coordinator, Mujtaba Aminu, explained the purpose of the event and its significance.
“We are here for the AGILE Week. It is a key programme under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment Project. This initiative is designed to showcase talent and intellectual skills among adolescent girls,” he said.
Aminu noted that sporting activities were chosen to help build confidence, encourage healthy competition, and foster teamwork among girls. “Yesterday, we held a basketball competition where the winners emerged, and today we are continuing with volleyball. The top players from these games will be selected to represent the state in a friendly match against Kebbi State next week.”
While Kano had initially considered including football, Aminu clarified that the national framework guiding the programme prioritised volleyball and basketball as more suitable games for girls. “Football was initially suggested, but it was not approved because the event is focused on girls, and culturally, in Northern Nigeria, female football is still emerging. So basketball and volleyball were retained as the preferred options,” he said.
He said the event is not just a one-off occurrence. “It’s an annual event designed for this purpose. Initially, it was rolled out in seven states, but now the programme has expanded to include 18 to 21 states. So, next year’s games and competitions will be even bigger,” he added.
He appealed to both government and communities for more support and recognition. “We are calling on the government, since we are part of it, to give these games and competitions more attention and backing. Recognition will encourage wider participation, and we also want the community to support us, so we can emerge as winners and truly empower our girls,” he said.
One of the participants, Hasana Hamza from Government Girls College Kano, expressed her excitement about the experience.
“This game is very enjoyable, and we came second in position, by Allah’s grace,” she said with a smile.
The AGILE Project, supported by the World Bank, aims to improve secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria by enhancing infrastructure, providing scholarships, and supporting life-skills programmes—of which AGILE Week is a vital component.
