Senate proposes landmark bill to address unpaid benefits of retired Nigerian athletes

By Dayo Awoniyi

In a significant development for Nigerian sports, the Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Development has proposed new legislation aimed at securing the long-overdue benefits and entitlements of retired athletes.

The proposed Athlete Welfare and Entitlements Act seeks to address systemic neglect by ensuring prompt payment of outstanding allowances, pensions, healthcare access, and post-career support for former national athletes.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, announced the initiative during a courtesy visit by the Samuel Okparaji Foundation.

“For too long, our national heroes have been abandoned after their service. This legislation is a necessary first step toward giving them the justice and dignity they deserve,” he said.

If enacted, the bill would compel the Nigerian Sports Commission and relevant federations to conduct a comprehensive audit of debts owed to retired athletes. Preliminary findings from the Committee reveal that over 100 former athletes across various disciplines are owed benefits dating back more than three decades.

The legislation would also mandate the establishment of Retired Athletes Welfare Units within all sports federations, with dedicated annual budgets. Additionally, a national database will be created to monitor the welfare of retired athletes and ensure continuity in support systems.

Senator Ningi stressed that the bill would also aim to hold sports administrators accountable for historical financial mismanagement and negligence.

The draft bill is expected to be introduced for first reading in the Senate in the coming weeks. Public hearings will be held across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to gather feedback from stakeholders before the final version is tabled for debate.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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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