Troost-Ekong Raises N47 Million at Lagos Gala, Boosting Youth Empowerment Through Charity
Troost-Ekong hosts star-studded gala in Lagos, raises ₦47m to support youth empowerment.
Event funds STEM-sports camp, charity match, and education projects through his foundation, TEF.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong raised an impressive ₦47 million at a star-studded charity gala in Lagos, demonstrating how football and philanthropy can power youth development. The event, hosted at the Radisson Blu on Sunday, seamlessly blended sports, entertainment, and social impact as part of efforts to fund initiatives led by the Troost-Ekong Foundation (TEF).
The evening brought together an influential mix of celebrities, athletes, and government officials, all rallying around the vision of nurturing Nigeria’s next generation. Notable guests included Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Gusau, ex-Super Eagles coach Augustine Eguavoen, National Sports Commission Chair Shehu Dikko, and presidential aide on sports Adeboye Adeyinka. Football legends Joseph Yobo and Brown Ideye also lent their support, while current Super Eagles players Moses Simon, Stanley Nwabali, and Tolu Arokodare added to the buzz.
Gala auction drives donations
A high-stakes charity auction formed the heart of the evening’s fundraising. A signed June 2024 Nigeria All-Stars jersey fetched ₦27 million, bought by NSC Chair Dikko. Comedian Funny Bone acquired Bukayo Saka’s Arsenal jersey for ₦5.4 million, while the Atom Foundation purchased Declan Rice’s shirt for ₦10 million. Reality TV star Phyna claimed Anthony Joshua’s sparring glove at ₦2.5 million, and Everest Ekong secured a Slawn art piece for ₦2.2 million.
Troost-Ekong affirmed that the funds will directly support sports, education, and skills development for young Nigerians, particularly through TEF’s signature program, Camp NexGen.
Camp NexGen: Fusing STEM with sports
Camp NexGen is a three-day immersive program designed to fuse STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education with athletic training. The initiative targets 150 children who will engage in hands-on learning by building drones, coding video games, and pitching entrepreneurial ideas.
“We are not the future anymore. We are the present,” Troost-Ekong stated. “It’s time to empower tomorrow’s change-makers.”
Since launching on June 2, 2024, the Troost-Ekong Foundation has made significant strides, distributing over 15,000 notebooks to more than 50 schools in Akwa Ibom, upgrading orphanages, and supporting budding musicians through community outreach programs.
Charity match adds momentum
Earlier in the month, the TEF also hosted a charity football match at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, which raised ₦10 million through ticket sales. The event drew 15,000 online viewers and concluded with Team Green defeating Team White 7–5 in regular time, though Team White prevailed in a post-match penalty shootout (4–2).
Together, the charity match and gala have helped the foundation mobilize nearly ₦60 million for youth-focused programs.
Troost-Ekong concluded the event with a powerful message:
“The Troost-Ekong Foundation is more than a charity. It is a movement. Together we can unlock talent, spark innovation, and widen pathways to success.”
As interest in Troost-Ekong’s off-the-pitch influence grows amid reports of a potential move to Saudi Arabia, the Super Eagles captain continues to lead both in sport and in service, demonstrating a commitment to using his platform for national transformation.
