Newly appointed Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, has outlined a transformative plan for Nigerian sports, shifting the focus from mere competition participation to revitalizing domestic sports development.
Dikko emphasized that this new approach aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision to maximize the sports sector’s potential as a key contributor to the national economy.
Dikko shared these plans during the official handover ceremony from former Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, in Abuja. He highlighted that the NSC’s primary goal is to build a solid foundation for sustainable national sports growth, which will naturally yield positive results over time.
“We must rethink our approach to sports. Instead of exhausting resources abroad in a consumption-based model, we need to invest in production—focused sports development,” Dikko explained. He proposed creating an ecosystem that prioritizes structured frameworks and parameters for a sustainable sports economy that boosts competitive performance internationally.
He outlined a three-point agenda to guide this development. First, he intends to establish sports as a “National Asset” with special privileges and regulatory support to drive economic growth, foster national cohesion, and celebrate Nigeria’s cultural identity.
Additionally, Dikko aims to develop impactful legislation and regulations similar to those that transformed the telecommunications industry, creating a supportive framework for the sports sector. His second focus is on investing in world-class infrastructure, from professional sports facilities to grassroots community spaces, all maintained with a long-term perspective to encourage nationwide sports participation.
“The President envisions that with these structures in place, the sports sector could contribute up to three percent to the GDP within the next five years, create jobs across its value chain, and position Nigeria competitively on the global sports stage,” he added.
This vision includes the re-establishment of the NSC, designed to operate free from bureaucratic constraints, embodying international standards and professionalism.
Dikko also outlined specific initiatives, including restructuring the NSC to implement strategic policies, engaging the private sector in talent and infrastructure investment, strengthening sports federations, and building capacity. Key actions include policy development, institutional support as the NSC absorbs assets from the defunct Ministry of Sports, updating the NSC Act to meet global standards, addressing funding challenges, and setting a professional governance framework to realize the President’s goal of a sustainable sports economy.
