February 07, (THEWILL) — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s sports funding system, directing the ministries of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and the Budget Office of the Federation to reset allocation processes starting from the 2026 fiscal year.
The directive ensures that provisions for infrastructure, competitions, and international participation will be released immediately after budget approval, ending delays that have long hampered athlete preparation.
The announcement follows a record-breaking year in which Nigerian athletes won 373 medals across all sports in 2025, from grassroots tournaments to continental and global competitions.
The president credited the National Sports Commission under Chairman Shehu Dikko for driving reforms, though he acknowledged persistent challenges including bureaucratic delays and fragmented funding that placed competitors at a disadvantage.
Under the new framework, allocations currently scattered across multiple government agencies will be consolidated under the National Sports Commission.
This restructuring aims to eliminate duplication and channel saved resources into domestic programmes and international representation, creating what the president described as certainty rather than excuses for athletes.
The reforms form part of the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy, which treats sports as an engine for employment, tourism, investment, and international standing.
The government plans to develop elite athletes through scientific methods, revive grassroots participation, strengthen sports federations, and bring major international events to Nigerian venues.
Tinubu emphasised that sports function as a unifying force across the nation’s ethnic, religious, and social divisions, and must therefore be administered outside normal bureaucratic constraints.
The restructured system will prioritise early support, thorough preparation, and recognition for athletes who represent the country abroad.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
