FG has committed over N200 billion to sports facilities - NSC

FG has committed over N200 billion to sports facilities - NSC

The Federal Government said it has committed over N200 billion for the upgrade of sports facilities across Nigeria in order to make the country the centrepiece of sports hub in Africa.

The chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, revealed this during unveiling of the logo of the Renewed Hope Unity Cup competition which was held on Wednesday at the VIP Lounge package A of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Represented by the Director of Facilities, Dr Mohammed Rabiu, Dikko also commended President Bola Tinubu for his support and timely release of funds for sports saying he (Tinubu) has redeemed his promises for sports men and women in the country especially the Super Falcons who are presently in Morocco for the Women's African Cup of Nation (WAFCON). He however assured the organisers of the competition of NSC's support in line with its mandate of sports development at the grassroots.

"We want to put this into public domain. The National Sports Commission has never gotten a kind of support it is getting now from the President and the Commander-in-Chief. There was a point in time when facilities maintenance for consecutive four years was a zero naira budget. Today, we have over N200 billion for facilities. This is a big support from the President and we want to use this opportunity to thank President Bola Tinubu for all the support he's given to sports. As we speak to you today, all the promises he has made to the Falcons and so on have all been redeemed. And therefore we can't stop saying thank you Mr President. Thank you for your support. We are Oliver Twist we are still asking for more. We want Nigeria to be the best in Africa in terms of sports," the NSC chairman said.

The national coordinator and convener of the Renewed Hope Unity Cup, Honourable Suleiman Yahaya Kwande, in his speech said competition is aimed among others to promote national unity and social cohesion, discover and showcase football talents, promote youth empowerment and human capital development, promote peace building through community engagement and stimulate local economic development.

He said, "The National Renewed Hope Unity Cup is a visionary national grassroots football initiative conceived to revolutionise football development across the Federal Republic of Nigeria while advancing ideals of national unity, youth empowerment, social inclusion, peace building and sustainable community development.

"Beyond competition, the National Renewed Hope Unity Cup is designed to establish a sustainable football ecosystem that will strengthen grassroots institutions, create opportunities for young Nigerians and contribute meaningfully to the Renewed Hope Agenda through sports. The National Renewed Hope Unity Cup is more than a football competition, it is a bold investment in Nigeria's future," Kwande, a former member of the House of Representatives added.

The competition, which will kick off on October 1, 2026 will run for two months. All the 774 local government areas will present teams that will compete at state, zonal and national level.