How LSSTF is Transforming Dreams Across Lagos Schools

On a dusty patch of ground behind Iwerekun Community Senior High School in Lakowe, the echo of a bouncing ball cuts through the afternoon heat. There is no proper basketball court—just chalk lines, uneven soil, and a handful of determined teenagers. Yet it is here that Ebele John, gripping a worn-out ball, discovered the dream she now chases every day.

“I didn’t even know how to play at first,” she said, smiling shyly. “But we just created our own space and kept practicing.”

For her schoolmate, Femi Oyegbile, football was the escape that blossomed into purpose. Today, both students proudly represent their school—an opportunity that seemed impossible until help arrived in 2024.

That help came through the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSSTF), whose support, channelled through the Education District, opened doors for students like Ebele and Femi. Their school was among 644 public secondary schools and 1,020 public primary schools across the state equipped by the agency in the past eight years. Five state technical colleges and five state tertiary institutions have also benefited, creating a statewide ripple effect in youth sports development.

Since its establishment in 2017, LSSTF has worked tirelessly to raise funds for sports development, using a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Corporate bodies and philanthropists—including Chief Kessington Adebutu, Sterling Bank, LASACO, Guinness, and others—have backed the agency’s mission to revive grassroots sports.

Their support is visible in the excitement buzzing across Lagos schools.

At Mende Junior High School, 13-year-old Inioluwa Agbaje proudly points to the new table tennis board that changed everything for him.

“Before, I never even thought of playing table tennis,” he said. “But after the donation, I started falling in love with it. My friends and our games master helped me learn. Now, many of us spend break time playing. It makes school more fun.”

He hopes for more—basketball and volleyball courts that would bring even bigger dreams to life.

A similar wave of enthusiasm runs through State Primary School, Agege, where a simple collection of indoor games has become the centre of daily excitement. During a recent visit, pupils crowded around scrabble boards, ludo tables, and chess sets, shouting instructions, celebrating wins, and laughing loudly—all under the watchful eyes of their games mistress, Mrs. Olasimbo Idris.

“Since the equipment came, the children are more eager to participate in sports,” she said. “Some had never seen a standard table tennis board before. Now they’re forming groups and learning new skills. We just hope the agency can help us with a basketball court so their interest can continue to grow.”

For Olaposi Agunbiade, the Executive Secretary of LSSTF, these stories are proof that the agency’s efforts are working. He credits the unwavering backing of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the commitment of private supporters for making the progress possible.

“We are grateful to our number-one supporter, Governor Sanwo-Olu, and our partners like Chief Adebutu, Sterling Bank, Guinness, LASACO, and LIRS,” Agunbiade said. “We want to do more, especially in 2026, because many schools still lack standard basketball, volleyball, and handball courts.”

He pointed to Lagos State’s landmark performance at the last National Youth Games in Delta, where Lagos topped the medal table—beating perennial champions Delta State for the first time.

“This is the result of focusing on discovering and developing athletes. It motivates us to keep sourcing support and strengthening school sports,” he added.

Among the equipment donated by LSSTF to schools across the state are: table tennis boards, Basketball hoops with stands, Running vests and pants, Spikes (for jumps and throws), Volleyballs, Relay batons, Chess boards, Scrabble boards and dictionaries, First aid kits, Dart boards with arrows, Boxing headgear, Judo mats, Taekwondo kicking pads, Cricket helmets and Swimming caps and goggles.

Beyond equipment distribution, LSSTF recently completed the renovation of the Olympic-size 50-metre swimming pool at the iconic Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre in Yaba, now handed over to the Lagos State Sports Commission.

In its inclusiveness drive, the agency has also supported para soccer activities for the past three years, further broadening access and opportunities for all.

From dusty patches of ground in Lakowe to crowded classrooms in Agege, LSSTF’s impact is clear: it is transforming dreams into reality for thousands of Lagos students. With continued support from government and private partners, the agency is not just equipping schools—it is building futures, one ball, one board, and one child at a time.Back at Iwerekun Community Senior High School, the sun is beginning to set, but Ebele and her teammates are still on the improvised court, practising footwork and passing drills. Their dreams are bigger than their environment—but now, for the first time, they feel within reach.

“Our school may not have everything,” Ebele said, bouncing the ball confidently. “But at least now, we have a chance.”

And across Lagos, thousands of students like her are discovering that chance—one racket, one ball, one improvised court at a time—thanks to a growing movement determined to rewrite the story of school sports.