The Nigerian founders of a new E1 team believe the actor and other celebrity team owners will visit the West African nation as soon as the next race is held in its commercial capital, Lagos.
American actor Will Smith has expressed a desire to visit Nigeria, according to the founders of Team PRONC, the country’s newest entrant into the 2027 Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) E1 World Championship.
Speaking after the team officially joined the all-electric powerboat racing series during the recent E1 event in Monaco, Richie Shittu, one of the founders, recalls an encounter with Smith during the race weekend.
“Will Smith was like, ‘Hey, bring me home, guys. I want to come home,’” Shittu tells FORBES AFRICA, describing the remark as a sign that the new team is drawing interest from global celebrities to visit Nigeria.
Smith starred as Nigerian-born Dr Bennet Omalu in the 2015 biographical sports drama Concussion. In March, he traveled to Angola, where he announced the capital Luanda as a venue for a round of the E1 championship in September.
Team PRONC, founded by Nigerian entrepreneurs including Cecil Hammond and Shittu alongside Preye Berezi, Osahon Okunbo and Ndy Oruche, became the latest franchise to join the E1 World Championship, a series whose teams are owned by prominent athletes and entertainers including Smith, LeBron James, Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal and Didier Drogba.
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Shittu says a visit by Smith and other celebrity team owners could help reshape international perceptions of the country by showcasing Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos to millions of followers on social media.
“All his supporters and followers will see that he’s come to Nigeria. If he says he had a blast in Nigeria, that’s a positive thing for Nigeria, for our youths and for our future,” he says.
The founders say they expect many of those owners to travel to Lagos when the city hosts another E1 championship.
“Before, it wasn’t in their agenda. Now they’re all excited because we’re there. Will Smith, LeBron James —they’re saying they’d love to come to our city, see what we have and race with us,” Hammond shares with FORBES AFRICA.
The effort builds on Lagos becoming the first African city to host an E1 race in 2025, joining established venues including Monaco, Venice, Jeddah, Rotterdam, Miami and Lake Como.
Lagos is reportedly hosting another race in October.
Hammond says the team’s ambitions extend well beyond motorsport. He says the project is intended to encourage international companies to view Nigeria “not just as a market, but a place to invest, collaborate and create,” while promoting the country’s hospitality, fashion, music and tourism.
The founders argue that regular international sporting events could generate wider economic benefits by increasing hotel occupancy, restaurant traffic and business activity while exposing Lagos to a global audience.
Shittu also says the championship offers an opportunity to highlight Lagos’ extensive waterways, which he describes as an underused asset capable of attracting tourism and marine-related investment.
“We’re saying Lagos and Nigeria is open for global sports. Come to our city, come to our country. It’s safe, and we’re going to give you a beautiful environment to enjoy the sport,” he says.
The team also says it plans to support environmental initiatives focused on cleaner waterways and shoreline protection alongside local authorities, aligning with E1’s emphasis on sustainable electric racing.
Alejandro Agag, the Founder and Chairman of E1, said Team PRONC’s entry reflects the championship’s effort to expand its presence across Africa.
“E1 was created to inspire a new era of clean racing on the water, and Team PRONC underlines that ambition,” Agag said in a statement.
Team PRONC is expected to announce its celebrity partner, race pilots and technical program ahead of its debut in the 2027 season.
The founders say they hope the team’s arrival will serve as a catalyst for attracting additional global sporting events to Nigeria in the years ahead.
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