Abuja to Host 900 Young Gymnasts as Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria Expands Catch Them Young Programme

About 900 children from 90 schools will participate in the 2026 North Central Catch Them Young Gymnastics Festival in Abuja as GFN expands grassroots talent development.

The one-day event, organised by the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria (GFN), will take place at the Package B Gymnasium of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium. The federation says the programme is designed to identify young talents, widen school-level participation and establish a more structured pathway for developing gymnasts in Nigeria.

GFN President and Vice President of the African Gymnastics Union, Prince Kelvin Erhunwunse, said the organisers expect each of the 90 participating schools to present 10 pupils. He explained that the approach is intended to expand participation while encouraging the establishment of gymnastics clubs within schools.

The festival forms part of the federation’s broader Catch Them Young programme, which seeks to introduce children to gymnastics early and create opportunities for those who demonstrate potential to progress into organised training and competition.

Target of 30,000 young gymnasts

Erhunwunse said the federation has set a national target of developing 30,000 young gymnasts and creating more than 1,000 coaching jobs by the end of 2028.

The programme is being implemented as a nationwide talent-identification tour. Under the model described by the federation, states from the country’s six geopolitical zones are to be reached in rotation, with the long-term objective of extending the initiative across all 36 states.

Previous editions have been held in Edo State, where 45 clubs and 450 children reportedly participated, and in the North-East. The Abuja festival is expected to extend the programme’s reach in the North Central region.

The federation’s strategy places schools at the centre of grassroots development, using them as points of entry for children who may not otherwise have access to organised gymnastics activities. The establishment of school clubs is also intended to provide a structure for continued participation beyond a single festival.

International development opportunities

The federation has also indicated that outstanding children and participating schools could benefit from international scholarship and exchange opportunities secured through partnerships with gymnastics authorities and organisations in Turkey, Japan, China and Azerbaijan.

According to Erhunwunse, these opportunities are intended to expose promising young athletes to different training systems, coaching expertise and competitive environments.

The availability and implementation of such opportunities will be important to the programme’s longer-term impact, particularly if young gymnasts are to progress from introductory participation to advanced training and competition.

Partnership and programme objectives

The Abuja festival is themed “Building Bridges, Renewing Hope for the Future Generation” and is being organised in collaboration with the Turkish Gymnastics Federation, the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Olympic Committee.

The federation says the initiative is part of its effort to build a sustainable grassroots development structure for gymnastics in Nigeria. Its stated objectives include identifying emerging talent, encouraging the formation of clubs, expanding access to training and strengthening links among schools, coaches and sports administrators.

For schools, the event offers an opportunity to introduce pupils to a sport that requires physical coordination, strength, flexibility and disciplined practice. For the federation, it provides a platform to identify children who may benefit from continued coaching and structured development.

The planned participation of 90 schools and 900 children makes the Abuja edition a substantial grassroots mobilisation exercise. However, the programme’s lasting contribution will depend on whether pupils can continue training after the festival and whether schools and clubs have the coaching, facilities and support needed to sustain their involvement.