Johan Cruyff Institute receives the visit of the international relations coordinator of the Sports University of Nigeria to sign a collaboration agreement that will contribute to the development of the dual career option for elite athletes and the professionalization of the Nigerian sports industry
Within its mission to continue promoting and facilitating the dual career option for professional athletes around the world, Johan Cruyff Institute has reached an important collaboration agreement with the Sports University of Nigeria (SUN) to strengthen its work in this field, in which they are pioneers and a reference entity in the African country.
Acting as its representative, the SUN’s international relations coordinator, Bob Olukoya, personally visited the facilities of the international headquarters of Johan Cruyff Institute in Barcelona to lay the foundations of what will be an unprecedented partnership that will impact not only the personal development of athletes but also the future of the country’s sports industry. “This is a unique opportunity to forge a relationship between Spain and Nigeria in the field of sports. Nigerian athletes, coaches, managers and sports managers are going to benefit enormously from this partnership. I believe it is the first of its kind in Nigeria and West Africa, and it will certainly be a great opportunity for both parties. I am personally very excited to be here in Barcelona for this purpose,” said Bob Olukoya.
“Nigerian athletes, coaches, managers and sports managers are going to benefit enormously from this partnership” – Bob Olukoya (SUN’s international relations coordinator)
The Sports University of Nigeria is the first university for athletes and sport managers in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, and was founded by Prince Ned Nwoko with the mission to raise the country’s sporting standards and position itself as a center of sporting, business and academic excellence. This institution offers university studies in sport science and management, and conventional dregree programs in health sciences, business management and social sciences, as well as an extraordinary program for the development of high-level athletes through its High Performance Center & Sports Leadership Institute.
Left to right: Edgar Romero (Johan Cruyff Institute’s corporate relations); Cristina Palés (Johan Cruyff Institute’s marketing manager and board member); and Bob Olukoya (SUN’s international relations coordinator).
Thanks to this new collaboration, the two educational institutions will join forces to provide first-class training solutions, with the aim of driving and advancing the country’s sports industry towards a more promising future.
“It is a privilege to be at the forefront, collaborating with the SUN to enhance the dual career option for its athletes and elevate the level of professionalism in the sports industry through education in Nigeria” – Cristina Palés (board member of Johan Cruyff Institute)
Cristina Palés, marketing manager and board member of Johan Cruyff Institute, commented after the meeting: “We are honored to forge a partnership with the Sports University of Nigeria. Nigeria is one of the fastest evolving nations in the world, and its sports sector is booming. It is a privilege to be at the forefront, collaborating with the SUN to enhance the dual career option for its athletes and elevate the level of professionalism in the sports industry through education in Nigeria. I would like to give special thanks to their international relations coordinator, Bob Olukoya.”
