The sixth edition of the Nigeria Cricket Federation’s National U-17 Championships came to a thrilling conclusion on Monday, with 10 youngsters taking home individual awards in both male and female categories. The tournament, held at the Twin Ovals of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, showcased the best young cricketing talents from across the country.
After a fiercely contested zonal elimination round, the top players from each of the six geo-political zones converged on Abuja for the five-day tournament. The South South team dominated both categories, but it was the emergence of new talents that stole the spotlight.
In the male category, Ubiri Praise of Team South South was crowned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) after taking nine wickets. His teammate, Bright Edem, was named the best fielder with four catches. Mohammed Yahaya of the North Central team was recognized as the best bowler, while Abdulrahman Aliyu of the same team was named the best-behaved player. David Garba of Team North East took home the award for the best batter with 71 runs in two innings.
The female category saw Beauty Oguai of Team South South emerge as the MVP with an impressive 120 runs. Aisha Aliyu of Team North East was named the best fielder with five dismissals, while Abdulwaheed Sofiat of Team North Central took home the award for the best bowler with nine wickets. Hassana Saliu of the same team was recognized as the best batter with 39 runs.
There were also presidential awards for the most promising players, which went to Malik Eleshinla of Team South West in the male category and Ude Sunshine of Team South East in the female category.
Tournament coordinator, Musa Ehizoje, praised the success of the players, noting that their emergence would add to the pool of Nigeria’s expanding cricket talent. “The successful conclusion of the championship highlights the depth of talent in Nigerian cricket and the effectiveness of the NCF’s developmental programs,” Ehizoje said.
The Nigeria Cricket Federation remains committed to nurturing these young talents to elevate the sport’s profile both nationally and internationally. The tournament saw participation from 36 states, underscoring the NCF’s commitment to grassroots development and the sport’s growing appeal nationwide.
The championship has a history of unearthing talented young cricketers. Previous editions have discovered players like Piety Lucky, Lilian Ude, and Peace Usen, as well as 12 other players who represented Nigeria at the 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia.
As the young cricketers return home with their awards, they will be eager to continue developing their skills and making a name for themselves in the world of cricket.