Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Abbas Tajudeen, has unveiled plans to establish a National Sports Academy to promote sustainable sports development in Nigeria.
He made the announcement during the maiden distribution of sports equipment to Principal Officers and members of the House Committee on Sports for use in their various constituencies, held in Abuja.
Dr. Abbas, who described sports as a marketable venture, emphasized the need to return to grassroots sports development as a strategic path to restoring Nigeria’s lost glory in international competitions.
He said the only way to regain Nigeria’s lost glory is to discontinue the current system where athletes are selected based on connections, and instead return to grassroots competitions.
The Speaker also urged members of the House to prioritize sports in their constituency development projects, rather than focusing solely on skill acquisition centres or clinics, which may not achieve long-term impact due to limited funding.
He encouraged them to build standard sports centres that can host regular competitions.
“I have put in the budget to build a National Sports Academy with all outdoor and indoor games for children of secondary school age who are identified though grassroots competitions will be admitted to continue their sports development”
In a remark, the Chairman House Committee on Sports, Alh. Kabiru Amadu Mai Palace, commended President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the National Assembly for increasing the budget of the sports sector from ₦29 billion naira in 2024 to ₦113 billion naira in 2025.
He said that the aim behind the distribution of the equipment is to empower communities with the tools need to foster talent, build discipline, and strengthen social ties through sports.
Alh. Amadu Mai Palace, explained that over 3,000 teams across the country are expected to benefit from the gesture as each state will receive between 80 to 120 sets of footballs and jerseys, from the committee.
“Our goal is to build a sustainable sports ecosystem starting at the grassroots where champions are discovered, talents nurtured, and characters built.
The chairman further urged all members to ensure the equipment reaches the intended beneficiaries, stressing that the impact will be measured not by quantity but by the lives transformed and talents discovered.
Also speaking, the Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC) Mr Shehu Dikko, advocated an effective reform in the Nation’s sports sector to make sports the driver of economy and create two to three million jobs annually and earn foreign exchange.
He said the era where sports federations come to get money to participate in competitions must stop to focus on sport development through the implementation of necessary reforms and legislations.
COV/TSIBIRI
