Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has called for stronger bilateral relations between Ogun State and Tunisia, with particular emphasis on sports development, grassroots football and institutional collaboration.
Abiodun made the call on Saturday when the Tunisian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Mohsen Antit, visited Abeokuta, for the CAF Confederation Cup engagement between Shooting Stars of Ibadan and CS Sfaxien of Tunisia.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka said Ogun State was interested in learning from Tunisia’s experience in developing football at both grassroots and professional levels, particularly the systems that have helped Tunisian clubs become major forces in African football.
He specifically sought collaboration on the development and repositioning of Gateway Football Club, saying the state was interested in understanding how Tunisia had transformed clubs such as Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Étoile Sportive du Sahel and CS Sfaxien into strong football institutions with established identities, sustainable structures and significant success in CAF competitions.
Abiodun said Ogun State had abundant football talent and the infrastructure to support its development, adding that the state was looking for strategic partnerships that could convert its youthful population and sporting potential into sustainable opportunities.
He noted that Ogun had continued to invest in sports infrastructure and talent development, including the improvement of sporting facilities and hosting of major national and international competitions. The state has also been positioning sports as part of its wider economic and youth-development agenda.
According to the governor, the proposed collaboration could cover areas such as technical development, coaching, scouting, youth academies, club administration, sports management and exchange programmes between Ogun and Tunisian football institutions.
He said the objective was not only to produce talented players but also to build football structures capable of competing successfully at the domestic and continental levels.
Abiodun further called for concrete steps to be taken towards establishing the partnership, directing relevant officials of the state government to engage with the Tunisian diplomatic authorities on areas of immediate collaboration.
The governor said Ogun's ambition was to build a football system that could develop home-grown talents, strengthen local clubs and ultimately produce teams capable of making a mark in Nigerian and African football.
The proposed partnership comes against the backdrop of Ogun State's growing investment in sports infrastructure and its ambition to establish the state as a major sports destination. The state has previously highlighted sports development and youth empowerment as important components of its development agenda.
Responding, the Tunisian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Mohsen Antit expressed the readiness of his country to strengthen relations with Ogun State, particularly in areas where Tunisia has developed considerable expertise.
The ambassador said Tunisia's football success was built over time through strong club structures, youth development, investment in technical expertise and effective football administration.
He said Tunisian clubs had benefited from systems that placed emphasis on identifying and nurturing young players while creating pathways for them to progress into professional football.
The envoy welcomed the governor's proposal for cooperation, saying Tunisia was willing to explore areas of mutual interest that could benefit both sides.
He also expressed optimism that exchanges between football administrators, coaches and young players from Ogun and Tunisia could provide valuable opportunities for knowledge transfer and capacity building.
The ambassador said such cooperation could extend beyond football to other areas of sports, education, culture, tourism and investment, thereby deepening the relationship between Ogun State and Tunisia.
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