The National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) have inaugurated a Joint Committee on Sports and Education, an initiative aimed at integrating education into Nigeria’s grassroots sports development architecture.
According to a press statement jointly signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the chairman of NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, the committee’s objectives include developing strategic plans for grassroots and school sports, and establishing Sports Centres of Excellence across the six geopolitical zones.
The statement also stated plans to strengthen existing collegiate sports competitions such as the Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA), Nigeria Colleges of Education Games Association (NICEGA), Nigeria Polytechnics Games Association (NIPOGA), Principal’s Cup, and the National School Sports Festival (NSSF).
Speaking at the inauguration, NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko underscored the importance of leaving no talented Nigerian youth behind. Citing data from the recent Paris Olympics, where 38% of medalists were student-athletes, he said: “Through this program, and with the coordination of this joint committee, we will ensure that every talented student-athlete has the opportunity to thrive both in the classroom and on the field.”
For his part, the Minister of Education described the initiative as “a defining moment for education and sports in Nigeria.”
He stressed the importance of synergy between academics and athletics, noting that: “By working hand in hand, we are not only creating future champions but also nurturing well-rounded individuals equipped to lead, innovate, and inspire. This initiative will open doors of opportunity for thousands of young Nigerians and redefine how we discover and develop talent in our nation. Education is sports, and sports is education there’s no delineation between both.”
Both Alausa and Dikko expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his visionary reconstruction of the sports sector, which led to the re-establishment of the NSC.
The Minister also commended the President for appointing Mallam Dikko as Chairman, describing him as a leader bringing fresh ideas into the sector.
Also, speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, highlighted the global relevance of the initiative. She said, “If you look at other developed nations, most of their sports talents emerge through the school system. So, I believe this is the right time to take this step.”
The committee’s secretariat is housed within the NSC and will serve as the operational hub for all committee activities, policy planning, and inter-agency collaboration.
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