FG to Upgrade Sports Facilities in Universities, Revive School Sports Development

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to upgrade sports facilities in selected tertiary institutions across Nigeria as part of a renewed push to revive school sports and strengthen grassroots talent development.

The initiative was announced by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, during a meeting with a delegation from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Adamu Ahmed.

Dikko said the programme is backed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for the nationwide upgrade of sports infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on repositioning schools as the foundation for discovering and nurturing future sporting champions.

“The future is in the schools,” Dikko said, stressing that many of Nigeria’s greatest athletes first emerged through school competitions, particularly the Nigerian University Games (NUGA).

As part of the initiative, the NSC, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, has selected one tertiary institution in each of the six geopolitical zones to serve as a Centre of Excellence for sports development. These institutions will benefit from improved sporting facilities and technical support aimed at developing elite athletes while ensuring they excel academically.

Beyond infrastructure, Dikko disclosed that the Commission has made budgetary provisions to support the NUGA Games and other school sports competitions. He also revealed plans to establish a Tertiary Institutions Sports Federation that will coordinate major collegiate competitions, including NUGA, NACEGA and NIPOGA.

With Ahmadu Bello University set to host the 2028 NUGA Games, Dikko urged the institution to begin preparations immediately by engaging private sector partners. He assured the university of the Commission’s support and proposed the establishment of a joint planning committee between the NSC and ABU to ensure a successful event.

The NSC Chairman also highlighted the increasing role of private investment in the sports sector, revealing that more than N50 billion has been attracted from private investors since 2025.

He further encouraged Nigerian universities to expand professional academic programmes in sports administration, governance, facility management, sports medicine, analytics and sports entrepreneurship to develop the skilled workforce required for the country’s growing sports industry.

Dikko commended Prof. Ahmed, a former professional basketball player and former board member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, for leveraging his sporting background to advance sports development at ABU.

In his remarks, Prof. Ahmed praised the NSC Chairman for driving what he described as a comprehensive transformation of Nigeria’s sports sector, particularly the focus on building a sustainable sports economy.

He noted that ABU has a proud history of producing elite athletes and sports administrators, including Masai Ujiri and Ejike Ugboaja, and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to hosting a successful 2028 NUGA Games.

The Vice-Chancellor also disclosed that the university is developing micro-credential certification programmes in sports management through collaborations with the UNESCO International Centre for Higher Education Innovation, the ABU Business School and the university’s Distance Learning Centre. According to him, the programmes are designed to produce highly skilled professionals capable of driving Nigeria’s evolving sports industry.

The planned upgrades form part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to revitalise school sports, strengthen grassroots athlete development and create a sustainable pipeline of world-class athletes and sports professionals for the future.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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