ABUJA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major overhaul of sports funding in Nigeria, directing the relevant federal ministries to ensure that from the 2026 fiscal year, adequate resources for sporting infrastructure, programs, events, and international competitions are fully provided in the national budget and released promptly.
The President made the announcement while highlighting Nigeria’s remarkable sports achievements in 2025, a year that saw the country win a cumulative 373 medals across various disciplines. From individual athletics champions to the Super Eagles’ bronze medal at AFCON 2025, as well as winning female football and basketball teams, Nigerian athletes “made the nation proud,” he said.
“Sports is one of our strongest brands as a nation. It unifies us, breaks all our fault lines, inspires belief, and builds a sense of community that cuts across age, language, ethnicity, religion, and social status,” Tinubu added.
The President praised the National Sports Commission (NSC) under the leadership of Malam Shehu Dikko for driving reforms in line with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting the progress despite funding and infrastructural challenges.
However, Tinubu emphasized that sports development in Nigeria has long suffered from bureaucratic delays, fragmented allocations, and inadequate infrastructure investments, which have hindered preparation and international competitiveness. “That cycle undermined performance and placed our athletes at a disadvantage. This must change,” he said.
To address these challenges, the President directed the Ministries of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and the Budget Office of the Federation to reset sports funding, streamline allocations currently dispersed across multiple government agencies, and transfer savings into a unified framework under the NSC.
These measures are part of the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE), aimed at using sports as a driver for job creation, tourism, investment, and global influence. The initiative also emphasizes elite athlete development, grassroots participation, revitalized sports federations, and hosting major international competitions domestically.
“Sports is our national asset and must be administered, managed, and funded in alignment with its special nature and demands devoid of any bureaucratic bottlenecks,” President Tinubu said. “The future of Nigerian sports will be planned, properly funded, and competitive. We will support our athletes early, prepare them thoroughly, and celebrate them proudly.”
The announcement has been widely welcomed by sports stakeholders, who see the move as a long-overdue commitment to giving Nigerian athletes the stability, resources, and infrastructure needed to excel at home and abroad.
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