Nigerian Institute for Quantity Surveyors pledges support towards NSC’s Sports infrastructural drive

Sports infrastructure is paramount to sports development. To this end, the National Sports Commission will pursue aggressive sports infrastructural development taking into cognizance the input of core professionals in the construction sector.

This was the view of National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko while hosting a delegation of Nigerian Institute for Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) on a working visit. The delegation was led by its President QS Kene Ezekwe FNIQS.

Mallam Dikko pointed out that sports infrastructure is key to all the lofty goals the Commission has mapped out.

His words, “You cannot develop sports without infrastructure. Whether at the elite or amateur level, infrastructure is needed. Without infrastructure there will be no development. We have to facilitate the development of sports with proper maintenance and getting value for money.”

A Fellow of the National Institute of Quantity Surveyors (FNIQS) with over three decades cognate experience in the profession, the NSC Chairman highlighted the prominence given to sports infrastructure in the budget and the importance of NIQS in the entire process.

He continued, “For 2025, infrastructure is top on our list. It is 80% of the budget because we believe that it is the foundation for sports. Definitely we will need the services of professionals in this regard.

‘As a Fellow of the NIQS, I know the importance of this collaboration with NIQS because we cannot compromise with global standards in developing our sporting infrastructure. We have to ensure that what we put in place here is of world-class standard.”

Earlier in his address, QS Ezekwe appealed to the Commission to integrate the Quantity Surveyors into its projects.

He said, “Sports infrastructure is a critical component of any thriving sporting ecosystem. The design, construction and maintenance of sports facilities require careful cost planning, financial prudence and adherence to international standards.

‘This is where the expertise of the Quantity Surveyors become indispensable. As the government continues to invest in the growth of the sports sector, we urge the National Sports Commission to actively integrate the services of Quantity Surveyors into its projects.”

The delegation commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Mallam Dikko as NSC Chairman.

“This is a round peg in a round hole. This is one appointment that everyone in the sector is applauding. With your diligence over the years not just in sports, but as a professional Quantity Surveyor, there is no doubt you posses what it takes to fix the sector.

‘This is the type of appointment that renews hope and we thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for making this possible”, he added.