News Report:
ABUJA — The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has called for greater private sector participation in the development of sports in Nigeria, saying government funding alone is insufficient to meet the country’s growing sporting infrastructure and development needs.
Shaibu made the appeal during the official handover of badminton equipment donated by the Badminton Association of Japan to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria. The equipment was presented by the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Ambassador Suzuki Hideo.
Speaking at the ceremony, Shaibu said sustainable sports development requires active collaboration among the private sector, corporate organisations, diplomatic missions and public institutions.
“I have consistently advocated collaboration and support from the private sector in whatever form it comes. Relying solely on government funding, especially considering the state of our infrastructure, is not sustainable,” he said.
According to the NIS boss, increased investment from businesses, development partners and well-meaning Nigerians would not only improve sports infrastructure and athlete development but also contribute to national development and social stability.
He commended the Ambassador of Japan and the Badminton Association of Japan for the donation, describing it as a testament to the value of international partnerships in advancing sports development in Nigeria.
Shaibu also urged Ambassador Suzuki Hideo to continue serving as an advocate for Nigerian sports by encouraging other diplomatic missions and international partners to support similar initiatives.
The former Edo State Deputy Governor equally praised the leadership of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, describing its president as one of the progressive administrators in the country’s sports sector.
He encouraged other sports federations to emulate the federation’s approach by forging strategic partnerships with private organisations and development partners to complement government efforts.
Shaibu disclosed that many of the ongoing reforms and improvements at the National Institute for Sports had been achieved largely through private sector collaboration rather than direct government funding.
According to him, the strategy was inspired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s governance model as Governor of Lagos State, where alternative funding mechanisms and partnerships were deployed to drive development.
“We had to think outside the box and adopt the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu model during his time as Governor of Lagos State, when development was driven without depending solely on federal allocations. That is the same approach we are implementing at the National Institute for Sports by attracting private sector support to reform the institute,” Shaibu said.
He expressed optimism that the donation of badminton equipment would further strengthen sports cooperation between Nigeria and Japan while enhancing training opportunities and athlete development programmes across the country.
The badminton equipment was donated by the Badminton Association of Japan to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria as part of efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation and support the growth of the sport in Nigeria.
