FG budgets N78 billion for sports in 2025
NSC unveils renewed hope initiative to transform sports economy
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has unveiled the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE), a plan to transform the nation’s sports industry through the Reset, Refocus, and Relaunch (RRR) initiative, which seeks to reset Nigeria’s Sports echo-system from Competition-driven to a Developmental-driven and value addition Industry.
The strategy brief signed by the NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, was designed as a framework to establish sports as a vital driver of Nigeria’s socio-economic growth and development.
The Dikko-led NSC has set an ambitious objective and roadmap to unlock the potential of the sports economy by revitalising infrastructure, fostering grassroots development hinged on school sports and professional academy programs, and promoting private sector engagement/investment in sports and sustainable credible participation across all competition.
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 but 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,” he stated.
According to the NSC, in the Federal Government’s 2025 budget, presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Assembly on December 18, 2024, an unprecedented and deliberate capital proposal of over N78 billion has been made for sports with the sole objective to advance and jumpstart sports economy.
“This specific capital budget will fund critical infrastructure and programmes, 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,” NSC stated.
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 or upgrading key sporting facilities across the country to meet global standards.
He explained that the “Projected outcome from the implementation of the RHINSE programme is to situate sports as key component of Nigeria Economy and social fabric, contributing at least three per cent of GDP, creating and sustaining at least three million jobs across the sports value chain (direct, indirect and induced sports jobs), dominating global sports talent export market, earning foreign exchange into the county and reinvest in developing the system, enable private sector participation and investment to compliment 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.”
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has called on stakeholders in Nigeria’s sports sector to embrace unity and collaboration, urging all to work together for the progress of sports in the country.
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