Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has acknowledged the importance of the upcoming continental under-17 championship in Kigali, Rwanda and expressed confidence in the ability of the country’s team to emerge from the competition with top marks, Sports247 reports.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Under 19 Cricket Team Secures Vital Victory at ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers

The vote of confidence came as the countdown gets tighter towards the commencement of healthy hostilities at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifiers Division 2, which will take place from August 9th to August 15th, as confirmed by International Cricket Council (ICC).

Games of the six-nation tournament will take place across two venues – Gahanga Cricket Stadium Grounds and RP-Kigali Oval – and the Nigerian squad will tango five other African nations for a place in the next stage of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup qualification series.

Uganda, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Ghana and hosts Rwanda are the countries Nigeria will have to overcome, while aiming to continue their impressive rise in African cricket, as they seek qualification for the next phase en route to the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.

While highlighting Nigeria’s preparations for the competition, a statement by the NCF noted in part, “The tournament is an important step on the road to the U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, with the top three teams advancing from the Africa Division 2 Qualifier to the next stage of the qualification pathway.”

Sports247 gathered further that Nigeria’s clash with Rwanda on Wednesday, August 12th at Gahanga Main Oval is expected to be one of the competition’s toughest games, with both sides eager to strengthen their qualification hopes.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has inaugurated the first phase of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s (FAAN) Sustainable Waste Management Programme and inspected the upgraded Pilgrims’ Terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

Mr Keyamo disclosed this on Thursday in a post on his official X page following the activities, which he conducted alongside the Chairman of the FAAN Board, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the authority’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Olubunmi Kuku.

The minister stated that the waste management initiative introduces colour-coded recycling bins to encourage proper waste separation, describing it as the first phase of a nationwide programme to make Nigeria’s airports cleaner and more environmentally sustainable. According to him, the initiative reflects FAAN’s commitment to improving environmental practices across airports nationwide.

Following the inauguration, Mr Keyamo inspected the upgraded Pilgrims’ Terminal, which now features a 300-seat passenger waiting area, modern VIP and VVIP lounges, free high-speed Wi-Fi, a fully air-conditioned mosque, and enhanced screening and security systems.

He commended the management of FAAN for both projects and urged the authority to sustain the momentum.

“I commend the management of FAAN for these initiatives and encourage them to keep up the tempo in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the minister said.

In a separate statement, FAAN described the waste management programme as a significant step towards building cleaner, greener, and more sustainable airports across the country.

The authority urged passengers and other airport users to support the initiative by disposing of waste in the designated recycling bins.

“As you travel, your small actions can make a big difference. Dispose of your waste in the right bin, support recycling, and help us create an airport environment we’re all proud of,” FAAN stated.

These initiatives arrive as the federal government continues efforts to modernise airport infrastructure and improve service delivery across Nigeria’s aviation sector.

The Pilgrims’ Terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport serves as one of the country’s major departure points for Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah. Upgrading the facility is expected to improve passenger comfort, ease the movement of travellers during peak pilgrimage periods, and enhance security screening and other airport services.

READ ALSO: Keyamo speaks on China-Enugu cargo flights

Similarly, the introduction of the Sustainable Waste Management Programme reflects a growing emphasis on environmental sustainability in airport operations. Globally, airports are increasingly adopting waste segregation and recycling systems as part of broader efforts to improve sanitation, reduce pollution, and align with international sustainability standards.

FAAN stated that the colour-coded recycling bins introduced at MMIA represent the first phase of a nationwide rollout, with the programme expected to encourage responsible waste disposal and foster cleaner airport environments across Nigeria.