Lagos State will be the host city for E1 World Championship coming up next September.
The organiser of the all-electric race boat contest landed in Lagos on Monday, February 3, 2025, to take an exploratory tour of the state’s waterways infrastructure to ensure smooth hosting of the event.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu received the event’s sponsors at the State House in Marina on Monday.
Former Cote d’Ivoire and Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba, who is the driving force for the E1 sport in Africa, joined the sponsor team comprising Chairman of E1 Racing, Aleyandro Agag, and Strategic Adviser, Pablo Agag.
E1 World Championship is an adventurous sport being introduced to Africa to create opportunities for talented young Africans, especially water sports enthusiasts.
Sanwo-Olu said the choice of Lagos to host the tournament presented “another unique opportunity” to tell the Lagos story in a sustainable manner, assuring the organisers that the state was prepared and ready to host the world race boat championship.
The governor said Lagos was prepared to take full advantage of opportunities coming with the tournament, noting that the state has adequate manpower and infrastructure to be able to take in all participating visitors and athletes.
He said: “We see this as another unique opportunity to tell the Lagos story in a sustainable manner. We are fully prepared and transaction ready for the tournament.
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“I want to assure the athletes and visitors who will be participating in the competition that we are ready in terms of manpower and infrastructure to be able to take in all of the opportunities that are coming with the project.”
Sanwo-Olu added that the organisers made the best choice to make Drogba as influencer for the tournament, noting that the former Chelsea striker had become a household name not just in football, but also in talent development across Africa.
Drogba said the discussion to introduce the electric boat racing sport to Africa started in Riyadh where his team met with the E1 Racing Team.
He stated that he was interested in the sustainability part of the sport in Africa, stressing that the continent was looking forward to driving positive changes through the effort.
Drogba said: “When we had discussions about the new sport, we said Africa should not be left out. We want to be in and see how it will work.
“We are interested in the sustainability part of it, because I know our continent is looking forward to seeing the changes we need to implement.
“In my position as a public figure in Africa, I think I can use my influence to make the sport impactful in the continent.
“Whatever it is for sustainability, and even for other sports in terms of inspiration, we will use our position to inspire the young athletes and even the elders to say it is possible.
“Africa has got the best athletes in the world. I believe Lagos is ready to compete in the sport. We have come here to have the support of the government, because we need to start the game and we need to start well.
“We need to send a message to the world to say that the competition is here in Lagos and we can replicate it anywhere.”
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