{
  "id": 19628373,
  "title": "Grassroots sports can drive jobs, economic growth — NESG",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/grassroots-sports-can-drive-jobs-economic-growth-nesg-19628373",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-12T09:22:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/grassroots-sports-can-drive-jobs-economic-growth-nesg/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has called for greater recognition of grassroots sports as a catalyst for job creation, youth empowerment, and economic growth in Nigeria, ahead of the National Grassroots Sports Development Summit 2026. The two-day event, set to take place on November 18 and 19 at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, aims to shift the focus from medals and trophies to the practical benefits of grassroots sports. The summit, organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development in collaboration with NESG, will bring together various stakeholders, including government officials, sports administrators, private sector representatives, and academics, to discuss strategies for enhancing the grassroots sports ecosystem. NESG's Head of Public Affairs and Public Policy, Seun Ojo, emphasized the need for deliberate policies, sustainable infrastructure, stronger institutions, and effective collaboration between government and private investors to unlock the sector's potential.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}