NSC Chairman Dikko Sets High Stakes For BFN, Others

By Victor Samson, Abuja

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has unveiled a bold new strategic roadmap for Nigerian sports, shifting away from “working in the dark” toward a performance-driven culture backed by clear data and long-term planning.

He made the declaration while declaring the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) 2-day retreat open at the ANOCA House in Abuja on Wednesday, insisting that the era of the government imposing arbitrary targets is over. Instead, he is mandating the Badminton Federation of Nigeria and other sports federations to Provide the NSC with strategic documents that outline their talent capacity and development programs.

One of the most ambitious revelations from the Chairman was the NSC’s internal projection for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Based on strategic plans submitted by the various federations, Dikko revealed that Nigeria is aiming for 18 to 22 gold medals.

“It’s because of these strategic plans coming from the federations that we can now pull together and see what they could do,” Dikko explained. “That will be the minimum target, and then we see whether we can beat it.”

Dikko specifically praised the leadership of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, highlighting the sport as a key “medal hopeful.” He pointed to the success of Eniola Bolaji—the world-ranked para-badminton star—as a prime example of what can be achieved through deliberate planning and the “Elite Athlete Development Fund.”

However, the Chairman stressed that the focus is not just on the podium. He highlighted the “Renewed Hope” vision for an industrial sports economy, where domestic competitions across the country create jobs, drive private sector investment, and contribute to the national GDP.

“We are getting the medals, and we are also developing the sport to make it a sustainable level that will be part of the sports economy,” he said.

Looking further ahead, Dikko dismissed concerns about late preparations for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. He revealed that the current budget already includes provisions for Olympic preparation, viewing every international competition and domestic tournament as a “building block” for 2028.

“We are not waiting to start preparing for the Olympics. All the time we are sponsoring federations now… ” It’s preparation for the Olympics,” Dikko stated.

Addressing the recent Commonwealth Games bidding process, Dikko clarified that Nigeria did not “lose” the bid for the 2030 Games. Instead, he described a strategic pivot by the Commonwealth Games Federation. While the 2030 Games were directed toward Ahmedabad, India, Nigeria’s “very solid” bid—which was personally backed by President Bola Tinubu—led to a unique offer. “They have now offered us to continue conversations for 2034, giving us the first right of

refusal,” Dikko stated. He noted that the international body described Nigeria’s bid as so “compelling” that it could not be ignored, positioning the country as a primary contender for the 2034 edition.