National Institute for Sports Will Be ‘Engine Room For Champions’, Says Shaibu

The director-general and chief executive officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has unveiled an ambitious vision to transform the institute into the “engine room for producing champions.

In an interview, Shaibu, a former Deputy Governor of Edo State and a long-standing advocate for sports development, outlined a comprehensive transformation agenda aimed at establishing the NIS as a world-class centre for sports excellence.

Shaibu emphasised the need for the NIS to evolve and lead Nigeria’s sporting future. “The National Institute of Sports should not just exist, it should lead. We must treat sports as a serious business. The NIS must be the place where champions are made, not just for Nigeria, but for the world,” he asserted.

Under his leadership, the institute will focus on discovering and training talented athletes, elevating coaching standards, and forging strategic partnerships with the private sector. Shaibu’s blueprint includes upgrading facilities to international standards, investing heavily in human capital by training more coaches, sports scientists, and administrators, and building strong relationships with private companies for funding and innovation.

Acknowledging the significant challenges facing Nigerian sports, such as poor infrastructure, inadequate funding, and weak management, Shaibu described the NIS he inherited as “underground,” a 50-year-old institution in dire need of renewal. He highlighted a troubling manpower imbalance, with more administrative staff than professionals, and revealed that only one staff member currently holds the requisite qualifications for their role. “The manpower gap is huge,” he noted, adding that the curriculum in use is outdated – a “Mungo Park curriculum in a modern era.”

To address these issues, Shaibu is committed to establishing a robust digital foundation for the institute, enabling it to compete globally and train coaches capable of preparing athletes for podium finishes. He lamented that many Nigerian athletes abroad now return home to compete for the country because the local talent pool lacks exposure to quality coaching and modern facilities.

While the 2026 budget is a funding avenue, Shaibu stressed that the institute cannot rely solely on government allocations. He positioned sports as an industry, with the NIS playing a vital role in its cycle, responsible for training coaches, athletes, sports medicine professionals, physiotherapists, and paramedics. The NIS currently offers a National Diploma in Paramedic Technology, focusing on emergency medical care, trauma management, and sports-related health services.