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President Bola Ahmed 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.
Shehu Dikko, NSC chairman, said this during the Nigeria Olympic Committee’s (NOC) virtual annual general meeting (AGM).
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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 identify talents.
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“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 the 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.
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“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 to create jobs and reposition sports as a critical component of Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape, ensuring a robust and thriving sports industry.
Mustapha Ibaraf, president of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), on his part, said it had doubled its scholarship budget.
Ibaraf, represented at the virtual NOC AGM by the establishment’s Director of Finance, Jonathan Dyagas, said that more Nigerian and other African athletes would receive scholarships ahead of the Los Angeles Games, LA28.
The ANOCA president said the African Olympic body was happy that recipients of its previous scholarships attended 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 family’s annual reunion.
Gumel said the AGM presented an opportunity to review the year’s activities, present an audited account of the NOC, and unveil plans and programmes over the next couple of years.
The focus of the upcoming years will include the Islamic Solidarity Games in October 2025 and the Youth Olympic Games, which will be staged from 31 October to 13 November 2026 in Dakar, Senegal.
“The Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow in 2026, the African Games in 2027, and the Olympic Games of Los Angeles in 2028.
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“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 be held before the Olympic Games 2028 to help prepare nations for the ultimate Games of Olympiad.
He particularly welcomed on board Mr Dikko, the newly appointed NSC chairman, and the director general, Bukola Olopade, for attending the AGM.
Gumel also welcomed the presidents of Sports Direct Federations and other delegates who attended the meeting.
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