By Patrick Anaso

President Bola Tinubu has taken a significant step to elevate the nation’s sports sector by prioritising its professional management, through the National Sports Commission (NSC), to foster a sustainable sports economy.

Malam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of NSC, said this during a Virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).

Dikko said that by this arrangement, the government had initiated a shift from competition-focused, to development-driven strategies, aimed at ensuring commitment to grassroots sports development.

This, he said would help in identifying talents.

“With the government pledging to enhance infrastructure, including a high-performance centre and upgraded facilities, stakeholders across the sports community are urged to collaborate in this transformative vision,” he said.

According to Dikko, the key elements of this new approach will include dedicated budget provisions that will also benefit NOC for the first time in as many years.

“With the inclusion, NOC will be in a position to execute the building of its permanent headquarters in Abuja.

“The Committee will also be in a position to support the preparations ahead of the 2028 Olympics, and support the grassroots sports programmes too,” Dikko said.

The NSC Chairman said that the planned initiatives would also aim at not only creating jobs but would also reposition sports as a critical component of Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape, ensuring a robust and thriving sports industry.

Mustapha Ibaraf, President, Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), on his part, said it had doubled its scholarship budget.

Ibaraf, who was represented at the virtual NOC AGM, by the Director of Finance in the establishment, Dr Jonathan Dyagas, said that more Nigerian athletes and other African athletes would receive scholarships ahead of the Los Angeles Games, LA28.

The ANOCA president said that the African Olympic body was happy that recipients of its previous scholarships made it to the Paris 2024 Games.

Earlier, Habu Gumel commended members of the Olympic family for attending the AGM even in virtual space

“The AGM is a statutory obligation as prescribed in the constitution of the NOC.”

He also commended the Executive Committee and the Board for sustaining the annual reunion of the family.

Gumel said that the AGM presented an opportunity to review the activities of the year and present an audited account of the NOC, as well as unveil plans and programmes over the next couple of years.

The focus of the upcoming years would include the Islamic Solidarity Games in October 2025 and the Youth Olympic Games to be staged from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, 2026 in Dakar, Senegal.

“The Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow in 2026, the African Games in 2027 before the Olympic Games of Los Angeles in 2028.

“The Youth Games are critical development events that will help to eliminate the recycling of old athletes for major Games due to a lack of challenges,” Gumel said.

According to Gumel the preceding Games are planned to ultimately hold before the Olympic Games in 2028 to help prepare nations for the ultimate Games of Olympiad.

He particularly welcomed on board, Shehu Dikko, the newly appointed Chairman of the NSC and the Director General, Dr Bukola Olopade, for attending the AGM.

Gumel also welcomed the presidents of Sports Direct Federations and other delegates that attended the meeting. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Emmanuel Afonne