FG. inaugurates committee to reposition school sports as national talent pipeline

The Federal Government has inaugurated a high-powered Joint Committee on Sports and Education.

The landmark initiative is aimed at transforming youth development and national talent discovery.

The collaborative body—established by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Federal Ministry of Education (FME)—is tasked with repositioning school sports as a central pillar of Nigeria’s grassroots development strategy.

The inauguration, which took place at the FME Headquarters in Abuja, marked a significant policy shift, integrating education and sports more deeply in Nigeria’s institutional framework.

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Speaking at the event, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, described the initiative as “a defining moment for education and sports in Nigeria,” emphasising that the future of the country’s youth lies in a strong synergy between academics and athletics.

“By working hand in hand, we are not only creating future champions but also nurturing well-rounded individuals equipped to lead, innovate, and inspire,” Mr Alausa stated. “This initiative will open doors of opportunity for thousands of young Nigerians and redefine how we discover and develop talent in our nation. Education is sports, and sports is education — there’s no delineation between both.”

The Joint Committee, co-chaired by Mr Alausa and Chairman of the NSC, Shehu Dikko, brings together key directors from both agencies along with private sector experts.

The committee is expected to implement a comprehensive strategy to elevate grassroots sports, including the creation of Sports Centres of Excellence across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the enhancement of collegiate sporting platforms such as NUGA, NICEGA, NIPOGA, and the Principal’s Cup.

Mr Dikko praised the leadership of President Bola Tinubu for his “visionary reconstruction of the sports sector,” noting that this had led to the re-establishment of the NSC and laid the groundwork for this initiative.

Important task

During his remarks, Mr Dikko emphasised the importance of ensuring that no talented Nigerian youth is left behind.

Citing recent international data, he noted that:

“38% of medallists at the recent Paris Olympics were student-athletes.”

He added: “Through this program, and with the wisdom and coordination of this joint committee, we will ensure that every talented student-athlete has the opportunity to thrive — both in the classroom and on the field.”
The Joint Committee includes senior officials such as Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye (Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports), Joseph Yobo (Senior Technical Assistant on Professional Football), Kweku Tandoh (COO, African Table Tennis Federation), and representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education including Ejeh Alex Usman (Director of Polytechnic Education) and Folake Olatunji-David (Director of Basic Education). Private sector subject-matter experts such as Julius Oni of Johns Hopkins University and Babatunde Ogunade, Vice President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, also sit on the panel.

The Minister of Education further highlighted the global precedent for this integrated approach:

“If you look at other developed nations, most of their talents for sports go through the school system. So, I think this is the right time to do this.”

The Committee’s secretariat, domiciled within the NSC, will act as the operational hub for policy planning, inter-agency collaboration, and execution of strategic plans.

These include aligning curricula with athletic development, identifying and grooming young talents from primary through tertiary institutions, and fostering partnerships with private sector stakeholders.

Call for support

In a joint statement, the NSC and FME called on all relevant bodies—state governments, institutions, private organisations, and the media—to rally behind the initiative.

In the past, school sports in Nigeria were a vibrant platform for talent discovery, with iconic competitions like the Principal’s Cup, NUGA, and NIPOGA producing some of the nation’s top athletes.

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School grounds served as the breeding grounds for future Olympians and national team stars, with robust inter-school rivalries and state-funded programs driving youth participation.

However, over the years, neglect, underfunding, and a lack of structured policy led to a steady decline in school sports, eroding a vital pipeline for national athletic development.

This new initiative seeks to revive and modernise that legacy—restoring school sports as a central pillar of youth empowerment and national pride.