The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, on Thursday met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to brief him on the commission’s performance in 2025 and outline plans for 2026.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, Dikko described the visit as routine, noting that the commission reports directly to the President. “It’s just a normal visit.
The Sports Commission reports to Mr. President, so we came to brief him on what we have done last year and the stage of execution of the approvals he has given us, as well as our plans for 2026,” he said.
Dikko added that President Tinubu expressed satisfaction with the commission’s progress and reaffirmed his support for building a sports economy in Nigeria.
“Mr. President is very happy and excited with the progress, and he is still giving the unwavering support and push that we need to deliver on the mandate to create a sports economy in Nigeria,” he said.
Highlighting achievements in 2025, Dikko said Nigeria won nearly 375 medals across various competitions, and the sports sector contributed about 1.2 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the third quarter of 2025.
He also disclosed that private sector investment in sports reached about ₦50 billion, while nearly 140,000 jobs were created across the sporting ecosystem through direct, indirect, and induced employment.
“Sports is no longer being measured only by medals. It is being measured by what it contributes to the GDP and how many jobs it creates,” he said, adding that the NSC is implementing the “Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy” to ensure success on and off the field.
Dikko stressed the need to fast-track the development of sports infrastructure nationwide, covering both elite and grassroots sports.
He highlighted progress in grassroots programs, including the introduction of Invited Junior Athletes as the “38th state” during the last National Sports Festival, as well as Nigeria’s strong performance at the African School Games in Algeria and the African Youth Games in Angola.
The commission has also created Intermediate Games for athletes under 18 and under 20, and is working with the Federal Ministry of Education to revive school sports competitions, including principal’s cup tournaments, with budgetary provisions already captured for 2026.
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“We have given a definitive directive to all sporting federations: if you are not showing us what you are doing at the grassroots and domestic level, we cannot support you to go for international competitions,” Dikko said.
He further revealed that President Tinubu approved the constitution of the board of the Nigeria Anti-Doping Agency, following the signing of the anti-doping bill last year after nearly 20 years of delay. “One of the conditions WADA wanted to see achieved was the constitution of the board.
Mr. President has now approved that. Nigeria has been declared a clean country in sports, so we are on the right track,” he said.
On football matters, Dikko addressed the pending Africa Cup of Nations verdict before FIFA, noting that the Nigeria Football Federation had submitted a formal complaint over alleged breaches in the World Cup qualification process.
He said independent committees within FIFA would determine the outcome.
Dikko presented a jersey to the President as a token of appreciation for his support, noting that recent directives by Tinubu have ensured adequate budgetary allocation and timely release of funds for sports.
“Sports is time-sensitive. If funds are not released according to schedule, it becomes a problem. Mr. President has directed that once the budget is passed and signed, funds meant for sports should be released immediately so that we can plan and progress effectively,” he added.