Staruf Football Academy is a youth football training centre in Lagos, Nigeria, and is part of Staruf Sport Development Ltd. The academy helps kids and teenagers improve their football skills so they can play in higher levels of football competitions. People also just call it Staruf Academy. The academy works a lot on helping young people grow and giving them chances to be better both in football and in life.
Location and Contact Information
Staruf Football Academy is a football training academy in Lagos, Nigeria. Its main location is 1 Sowande Street, Off Rev Emma Adubifa, Omole Phase 2, while an alternate address is 18 Ayinde Giwa Street, Off Alhaji Masha, Surulere.
The academy can be reached by phone at 0708 716 7146, 0705 294 0062, 0907 713 7171, and +234 905 221 3920, which is likely WhatsApp-compatible. Email contacts include starufsports@hotmail.com and starufofficials@gmail.com
Staruf Football Academy is active on social media. Its Instagram handles are @staruf_football_academy for the academy and @starufsports for Staruf Sports Development. On Facebook, the pages are STARUF Football Academy and Starufsportdev, where messages can be sent directly. These contacts cover the academy’s verified locations, phone numbers, emails, and social media accounts in Lagos.
Founder and Leadership
Staruf Football Academy was started by Peter Rufai, also called “Dodo Mayana.” He used to be a goalkeeper for Nigeria’s national team and played in the African Cup of Nations and the World Cup. After retiring from football in 2000, he established the academy in Lagos to help kids and young people learn football and get guidance from someone who knew a lot about the game.
Rufai ran the academy himself. He taught players how to play well, think smart on the field, and grow as people. He wanted them to be disciplined, skilled, and ready for chances to play in Nigeria or even other countries. There were no other directors or managers—he was the main person in charge.
Peter Rufai died in July 2025, but his ideas and leadership still guide the academy. Right now, there is no official new leader, and the academy might be run quietly by his family or close associates.
Players and Alumni
Two alumni are known. Tunde Makinde trained at the academy before joining Manchester City’s youth team. His position isn’t clear, and he has not yet played for a senior professional team, likely remaining in Manchester City’s youth squads.
Nneoma Okoro also trained at Staruf Football Academy and earned a sports scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), combining college-level soccer with education. She plays in US collegiate competitions, though detailed statistics about her position or team are not available.
The academy has produced other talented players who have represented Nigeria in youth competitions, though most are not listed in global football databases.
Photos and Social Media
You can see photos and videos of Staruf Academy on social media. On Instagram, the account @staruf_football_academy shows posts with kids training, coaches, and other activities in Lagos.
On Facebook, Starufsportdev shares pictures and videos of the academy’s events and training sessions. These are the best ways to see what’s happening at the academy.
Reviews and Reputation
Staruf Football Academy has a moderately positive reputation. People who have left online reviews mostly gave it good ratings. For example, one listing shows a 5-star review calling it a good football academy, and local directories in Omole Phase 2, Lagos, list 11 user reviews averaging 4.6 out of 5, suggesting some community satisfaction.
However, there are not many detailed reviews online, so most of what people know comes from business directories. Real experiences from parents or players are often only shared within local communities. It’s also important to remember that football academies in Lagos can differ greatly, and the quality of training can vary significantly.
Although Staruf’s reputation is smaller than larger academies, its history, media mentions, and the credibility of its founder give it a solid standing in Lagos football development.
Staruf Football Academy Fees
There is no official price list published online for Staruf Football Academy. Many youth academies in Lagos charge fees that can change depending on the age group and the facilities they offer.
Usually, membership for a year in similar academies can be anywhere from about ₦50,000 to ₦300,000 or more. For Staruf Academy, the exact fees need to be asked directly by calling or emailing them.
Registration Requirements
To register, they ask for your full name, your date of birth and proof of your age, which can be a birth certificate, a passport data page or a national ID.
They also ask for the names of your parent or guardian and their phone numbers, including WhatsApp, because registration often happens through WhatsApp messages. They need a recent photograph or passport-size picture of you, and they ask for your address and the town where you live so they can plan training locations properly.
The academy also use the same requirements that most Nigerian football academies ask for. This includes bringing identity documents for age verification, giving medical information such as allergies or illnesses, and sometimes providing a doctor’s medical clearance. They may also ask for school details and, where needed, school results. A parent or guardian must sign a consent form and indemnity to show they agree to the academy’s terms. A registration or try-out fee may be required, although Staruf does not always publish the exact amount.
Training Schedule
Training schedules usually happens on weekends at the Mind Builders’ School Ground in Magodo-Olowora, Lagos, and the sessions were organised by Peter Rufai.
Normally, for football academies in Lagos, training could happen on Saturdays or Sundays for a few hours, sometimes with extra sessions during the week depending on the age and program level.
To know the exact times, you need to contact the academy.
Academy Leadership
The academy works through the Peter Rufai International Football College (PRIFC). In the past, Saheed Adeyinka was one of the coaches working under Peter Rufai, helping train players on the field. Peter Rufai himself served as the Goalkeeping Coach, teaching positioning, shot-stopping, and mental readiness. Salami Babatunde Rasheed is the Head Coach, running daily training and making sure everything meets international standards. Michael Chen is the Tactical Coach, teaching players about game plans, positioning, and tactical awareness.
Typically, Nigerian football academies have a small team that includes an academy administrator or director for registration, scheduling, and communication, a head coach for training programs, assistant coaches for different age groups and specialised skills, and sometimes a physiotherapist or medical staff for fitness and injuries.
Staruf Academy does not currently list who these staff members are, so the only way to find out is by contacting the academy directly.
