Former Lagos State Governor and ex-Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has described sports as an untapped economic engine capable of addressing Nigeria’s rising youth unemployment and contributing to national development.

Fashola made this assertion while delivering a keynote address at the public presentation of veteran sports journalist Mumini Alao’s autobiography, held at the University of Lagos.

He called for a complete overhaul of the nation’s approach to sports development, particularly football, urging policymakers and private stakeholders to rethink the country’s existing sports framework.

He said sports should no longer be treated as a pastime, but as a serious, billion-naira industry with the potential to generate mass employment, reduce crime, and drive inclusive economic growth.

He said talent had become one of the most valuable global currencies, and that Nigeria must now reposition sports as a strategic sector of the economy.

Fashola said Nigeria’s failure to harness the economic power of sports had left many young people idle, despite the sector’s ability to create thousands of jobs and meaningful career paths, noting that with proper structures, governance, and investor-friendly policies, sports could sustain itself, attract funding, and become a major contributor to the country’s GDP.

He also stressed the need for strategic investment in youth-focused sports programmes, which, he said, could help tackle rising insecurity and social unrest.

According to her, sports engagement not only empowers youth but also transforms communities by promoting discipline, unity, and purpose.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, described sports as critical to engaging young people and deterring them from crime.