The Sand Eagles may have won on the pitch at the inaugural Copa Lagos 2011 but the organisers of the event believe that the real winner was the Nigerian tourism industry. And at this they are working to make the 2012 event a bigger one for the industry. According to figures released by the organisers, the annual three-day beach soccer tournament, which held December 2011, added an estimated value of $1.3m to the Nigerian economy as well as creating 700 temporary jobs in the country. They say it can be higher this year.
The international tournament gained global acclaim with guests such as David Dein (former Arsenal vice-chairman) and official support from the United Nations. Copa Lagos 2011 also attracted visitors and fans from Italy, Brazil, South Africa and England whose teams and officials featured in the event. The tournament also featured live performances from the very best of African artistes such as WizKid, NaetoC, Davido, Ikechuku, Sauce Kid and Skales and a fashion show parading international and home grown designers. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, who was part of the event said, “This has a really good initiative for Lagos State and we are proud of it.”