Alive and Kicking Nigeria Limited has expressed plans to establish a football manufacturing factory and a talent academy in Osun State, with the state government saying the company's application for space at the Osun Free Trade Zone has already been processed.

The proposed investment was discussed during a meeting between representatives of the company and Governor Ademola Adeleke at his London residence on Sunday.

The delegation was led by Alive and Kicking Nigeria Country Director, Dr Bob Olukoya, and Joanne Macrae, a director at Amos Sports Business School in London who also serves as Business Development Director at Alive and Kicking.

According to a statement issued by the Osun State Government, the investors said they want to establish a factory capable of producing footballs for markets in Nigeria, other African countries and beyond.

The government said the Ministry of Commerce and Industry had treated the company's application for land within the Free Trade Zone and that preparations were underway for work on the allocated site.

The statement did not disclose the size of the proposed investment, the exact land area, the expected number of jobs or a date for construction and commercial production.

Those details remain important because the project is still being presented as a planned investment rather than an operating factory.

Alive and Kicking describes itself as a not-for-profit ball manufacturer whose model combines sports equipment production with employment, access to sport and health education.

The company's proposed Osun operation could therefore add a manufacturing component to a sports industry that is often discussed mainly in terms of clubs, competitions and athlete development.

The investors also told the governor that plans had been developed for a football talent academy aimed at training young players from Osun for opportunities in local and international leagues.

A detailed proposal on the talent development programme is still expected to be submitted, according to the government statement.

That makes the academy plan less advanced, at least publicly, than a fully operational training institution with announced facilities, coaches, admission criteria or a commencement date.

Governor Adeleke, who attended the meeting with Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Bunmi Jenyo, directed the ministry to give attention to the company's submission.

The administration presented the talks as part of its broader effort to attract private investment and increase industrial activity in the state.

For Osun, the most significant part of the proposal is the manufacturing element.

A functioning sports-ball factory would involve more than the publicity surrounding a new academy. It would require production equipment, workers, raw materials, logistics and access to markets.

But several questions will need answers as the proposal progresses.

The state government has not yet announced an investment value, production capacity, construction timetable or employment target for the project.

There is also no public confirmation in the statement of when the proposed factory would begin producing footballs.

Those details will determine the scale of the investment and its eventual economic impact.

For now, the confirmed development is that Alive and Kicking has presented plans for the factory, its land application has been processed according to the Osun government, and preparations for the allocated site are said to be underway.

The talent academy remains part of the broader proposal, with more details expected after the company submits its full plan.

Until construction and production milestones are independently confirmed, the project is best described as a planned investment rather than an established football factory.