The Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Sports, Damilare Orimoloye, on Tuesday said the state would be ready for the sports infrastructure demands of the 2026/2027 football season.
Orimoloye made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) against the backdrop of Lagos State fielding three professional clubs in next season’s Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Lagos State will be fielding three professional clubs for the 2026/2027 NPFL season, with two additional clubs, Inter FC of Lagos and Sporting Lagos FC gaining promotion to the elite league.
Inter Lagos FC is a debutant in the premier league, while Sporting Lagos FC returns to the fold after two years.
However, there has been growing concern about the over-dependence on the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan Stadium, which is currently the only functional stadium for all football teams in Lagos, both male and female.
At present, Lagos has more than six professional teams in top-flight football sharing the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, underscoring the need for additional stadiums.
It would be recalled that Lagos boasts four stadia, namely: the derelict National Stadium, Teslim Balogun Stadium, which has been closed for upgrades for the past six years.
And the Agege Township Stadium, which has also been undergoing renovations for the last five years.
Speaking on getting the stadium ready ahead of the demands of the new season, Orimoloye assured that the Agege Township Stadium would be ready, noting that renovation works have reached an advanced stage.
“We have resumed frantic work on Agege Stadium. I was there yesterday to inspect the ongoing renovation, and I can say that the turf has been laid.
“We have other stadiums that we have worked on across Lagos State as well. The Ifako Ijaye Mini Stadium is already completed, alongside some other mini pitches to complement them.
“Lagos State is also planning to have more sports infrastructure. All these cannot be done at once, but I am assuring that we are ready for any challenges that come next season.
“I also want to congratulate the teams that just gained promotion to the premier league; we will be supportive in any capacity required.
Orimoloye added that Lagos, being a city known for sports excellence, would continue to deliver on its mandate.
“Lagos is Lagos; we don’t compare or compete. We staged a Lagos FA Cup different from last year under a peaceful atmosphere, which is a good display of sportsmanship for everyone to see.
“It shows Lagos football and other sports are progressing and continue to improve.
“Back to Agege Township Stadium, other aspects of it are, the infrastructure, the dressing rooms, and the seating areas, which are what we are putting in place.
“Agege Township Stadium will be ready for use before the commencement of the next NPFL season. Also, Lagos will be hosting the National Youth Intermediary Games; we are ready for this,” he assured
