Shehu Dikko, the newly appointed Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), has assured Nigerians that no sport will be prioritized over others in the country.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sports Tonight on Thursday, Dikko emphasized that all sports would be given equal opportunities to grow and develop. He stated, “People shouldn’t worry about football overshadowing other sports. While football is often seen as the ‘king of sports,’ we can actually use its popularity to uplift and support other sports. We’re committed to ensuring every sport gets a fair chance.”
Dikko highlighted that the focus wouldn’t be on isolating or favoring any one sport but instead leveraging each sport’s strengths. He said, “We need to work on our comparative advantage. Which sports can bring us medals or contribute to our sports economy? For instance, football is incredibly popular in Nigeria, with reports showing 83% of Nigerians have an interest in it, and 65% are actively involved. So, we can use this popularity to attract attention to other sports, allowing them to grow according to their unique strengths and advantages.”
Additionally, Dikko shared his vision to build Nigeria’s sports economy, aiming to shift it from being consumption-driven to production-driven.
President Bola Tinubu appointed Dikko as NSC Chairman on October 23 after dissolving the Ministry of Sports Development and transferring its responsibilities to the Sports Commission. Senator John Enoh, the former Minister of Sports Development, was redeployed as the Minister of State for Trade and Investment
