Kano State, Nigeria – In northern Nigeria, where sports like basketball have traditionally been male-dominated, girls face significant barriers to participation, including limited access to courts, equipment, coaching, and competition opportunities.

Khamila Sani Ibrahim recalls the difficulty of training in basketball while balancing family expectations. “It is very hard for me to train in basketball,” she said. “I only go out to play when they are not around, or I tell them that I’m going to visit my friends, and from there I go to the court.”

To address these challenges, youth sports advocate Jawahir Bello founded Grassroots To Greatness (G2G), an initiative focused on female empowerment through sports. Despite anticipating resistance, Bello has found support from community stakeholders who have welcomed female-only tournaments and training sessions.

Mansur Abdullahi, assistant coach of Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national football team, the Falconets, highlighted the importance of grassroots efforts. “Official sports bodies have big structures, but local groups provide the actual trust and cultural understanding,” he said. “So it’s only through community-led initiatives that more professional teams will understand what’s acceptable for girls and boys and how to frame sports so it fits the existing values instead of clashing with them.”

This grassroots approach is creating new pathways for girls in northern Nigeria to develop their skills and pursue bigger dreams in sports.

Sources