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Journey Towards Valuable Sports Economy Has Begun — Shehu Dikko

THE Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, announced that Nigeria’s journey toward a sustainable sports economy has officially begun.

He made this statement on Wednesday during a brief ceremony in Abuja, where he received the handover from former Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh.

“History has a way of coming full circle. In 2008, I was a consultant to the House of Representatives, responsible for drafting the National Sports Commission Bill, a task I undertook pro bono. Now, 16 years later, I am here to implement the work I helped create,” Dikko remarked.

He emphasized that the objective of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is to harness the full potential of Nigeria’s sports economy. “We must change our mindset from merely focusing on competitions and winning medals to prioritizing domestic sports development,” he said. “When we establish a solid foundation, the results and medals will follow in a sustainable manner; this should be our new mindset.”

Dikko stressed the need for a different approach, stating, “We cannot continue to operate in cycles. In my view, and the firm view of President Tinubu, competitions often represent ‘consumption,’ where we expend scarce resources abroad with little impact on domestic sports development and the Nigerian economy. Instead, we must return to ‘production,’ which involves deliberate sports development that establishes the right structure and framework for sustainable growth.”

To this end, Dikko outlined three key pillars of his administration’s focus:

  1. Treating Sports as a National Asset: This entails granting sports special privileges, regulations, and concessions to foster growth and development. Sports should serve as a vital driver of the economy, promoting national cohesion and showcasing our culture and national identity.
  2. Legislative Framework: Developing appropriate legislation and regulations to enable the sports industry to flourish, similar to the progress seen in the communications industry in recent years.
  3. Investment in Infrastructure: Prioritizing purposeful, world-class infrastructure to create an enabling environment for growth. This includes facilities for professional sports and community infrastructures to encourage grassroots sports and mass participation throughout the country.

Dikko noted that President Tinubu envisions that, with these measures in place, Nigeria should measure its sports sector by its contribution to the national GDP, aiming for an increase of at least 3% within the next four to five years.

He further disclosed that the administration seeks to track job creation within the sports value chain and enhance the country’s competitiveness across various competitions and tournaments.

“It is a visionary decision by the President to reinstate the National Sports Commission to drive this process in line with the best international practices, free from bureaucratic bottlenecks and focused on absolute professionalism,” Dikko added.

To advance this agenda, he outlined several immediate action points, including:

Restructuring the NSC to effectively implement the desired policies and frameworks.

Encouraging private sector participation through investments in sports production and infrastructure.

Enhancing the capacity of sports federations for optimal performance and engaging competent personnel and partners.

Developing strategies, policies, and legislation to support and protect sports development in Nigeria.

Ensuring that the NSC assumes assets and liabilities from the defunct Federal Ministry of Sports.

Amending and updating the NSC Act to align with international best practices.

Dikko concluded by emphasizing the importance of creating a professional governance framework to resolve funding challenges and provide the necessary environment to realize the President’s vision of a sustainable sports economy in Nigeria.

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