A new national push to position sports as a viable economic tool took centre stage yesterday, when the National Sports Commission (NSC) opened the technical session of the second National Council on Sports, in Calabar.

Stakeholders outlined strategies to unlock jobs, small businesses and private-sector investments through sports, reflecting a shift in how the sector is being repositioned under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The NSC, represented by its Director-General, Bukola Olopade, said the Federal Government has moved sports from a purely competitive activity to an economic asset capable of driving youth employment, tourism and grassroots industry growth.

He noted that reforms spanning athletes’ welfare, infrastructure upgrade, talent development and commercialisation were already reshaping the national sports framework.
Olopade added that sports events across the country had impacted over 100,000 micro-businesses in the past year, from vendors to service providers—describing sports as “a production-driven ecosystem capable of sustaining livelihoods if properly structured.”

In a parallel briefing, the President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Isaiah Benjamin, said the business side of sports must be prioritised if Nigeria hopes to escape recurring setbacks, particularly in football.He called for a total overhaul of the football administration system, noting that repeated failures to qualify for global tournaments reflect deeper systemic cracks.

Cross River State positioned itself as a key player in this new direction, with Commissioner for Sports Development, Agnes Atsu, highlighting investments in new stadia, revived competitions and private-sector partnerships as some latest steps taken by the state.
She said that the state’s sports strategy aligns with the national goal of using sports to generate wealth, curb youth restiveness and strengthen community engagement.

The Council is expected to issue resolutions guiding national sports policy for 2025, focusing on commercialisation, insurance reform, expanded hosting rights and a more sustainable National Sports Festival.