NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko Meets President Tinubu, Highlights Sports Sector Achievements

Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Thursday to present a comprehensive briefing on the Commission’s performance in 2025 and its 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. He explained that the discussions centered on the execution of approvals already granted by the Presidency and the roadmap for the year ahead.

Dikko revealed that President Tinubu expressed satisfaction with the Commission’s progress and reaffirmed his unwavering support for the administration’s vision of 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 from 2025, Dikko disclosed that Nigeria won nearly 375 medals across various competitions, while sports contributed about 1.2 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product in the third quarter of the year.

He added that ₦50 billion in private sector funding was attracted into the sports sector, creating nearly 140,000 jobs across the ecosystem.

He emphasized that sports are now being measured not only by medals but also by their economic impact. The NSC, he said, is implementing the ‘Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy,’ designed to ensure Nigeria wins both on the field and economically.

On grassroots sports, Dikko pointed to unprecedented progress, citing the inclusion of Invited Junior Athletes as the ’38th state’ during the last National Sports Festival, as well as Nigeria’s strong outings at the African School Games in Algeria and the African Youth Games in Angola.

He also referenced the creation of the Intermediate Games for athletes under-18 and under-20, and ongoing collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education to revive school competitions such as the Principal’s Cup.

‘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 stressed.