2025 Budget: NSC chair lauds Tinubu on ₦78b allocation for sports devt

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, on Thursday, commended the ₦78 billion allocation for sports development in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2025 budget.

The allocation, which was presented to the National Assembly on December 18, 2024, marks a significant investment in transforming Nigeria’s sports industry.

In conjunction with this announcement, the NSC unveiled the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE), an ambitious program aimed at resetting Nigeria’s sports ecosystem from a competition-driven model to a developmental and value-driven industry.

According to a strategy brief signed by Dikko, the initiative emphasizes grassroots development, revitalized infrastructure, and enhanced private-sector participation to unlock the potential of the sports economy.

The RHINSE initiative, designed under the Reset, Refocus, and Relaunch (RRR) framework, seeks to position sports as a catalyst for Nigeria’s socio-economic growth.

Dikko expressed the Federal Government’s dedication to elevating sports, saying: “This is a defining moment for the sports industry in Nigeria. The RHINSE initiative is not just about investing in infrastructure but about redefining sports as a national asset, thus entitled to all the requisite special support, concessions, and legal frameworks to drive growth.

“It is a tool for unity, cultural promotion, and economic growth, with the potential to uplift millions of our youth and communities across the country.

“In the Federal Government of Nigeria’s 2025 budget, presented by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Assembly on December 18, 2024, an unprecedented and deliberate capital proposal of over ₦78 billion has been made for sports with the sole objective to advance and jumpstart the sports economy.

“This specific capital budget will fund critical infrastructure and programs, including sports infrastructure development, establishment of an Anti-Doping Laboratory, which is expected to generate substantial revenue in foreign exchange.

“Other provisions have been included to accelerate the advancement of sports in alignment with the RHINSE objectives.”

Dikko added that the RHINSE initiative is anchored on institutional repositioning, restructuring of sports federations, grassroots development, and private sector collaboration to foster growth. As part of its efforts, the NSC is focusing on developing and upgrading key sporting facilities across the country to meet global standards.

Dikko explained that the “projected outcome from the implementation of the RHINSE program is to situate sports as a key component of Nigeria’s economy and social fabric, contributing at least 3% of GDP, creating and sustaining at least 3 million jobs across the sports value chain (direct, indirect, and induced sports jobs), dominating the global sports talent export market, earning foreign exchange into the country, and reinvesting in developing the system. It will enable private sector participation and investment to complement government efforts, ensuring credible participation across all international competitions, infrastructure provision, and development to advance professional sustainable development and hosting of international tournaments and competitions and, indeed, social impact.”

In his remarks, the Commission’s DG, Hon. Olopade, further emphasized the transformative potential of the initiative, adding, “RHINSE is a game-changer for sports development in Nigeria.

He said, “It’s a deliberate and focused strategy that will not only set the foundation and roadmap for enhancing sports development in Nigeria but also create opportunities for our youth to thrive and for the country to attract global recognition and investment in the sports economy.

“With the RHINSE initiative, the NSC underscores its commitment to leveraging sports as a unifying force, a source of economic empowerment, and a platform for showcasing Nigeria’s talent and cultural heritage on a global stage.

“Nigeria is on the cusp of a significant step in resetting, refocusing, and relaunching Nigeria’s sports ecosystem for sustained growth and development.”