Orbih Unveils Bold Blueprint To Transform Nigerian Badminton For Sustainable Growth

President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, has unveiled an ambitious long-term development strategy aimed at repositioning Nigerian badminton as a major force on the continental and global stage through aggressive grassroots expansion, coaches’ education and umpire development.

Orbih disclosed the plans on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the federation’s two-day retreat held at the Conference Room of ANOCA House in Abuja, where board members, technical experts and stakeholders gathered to chart a new direction for the sport.

Speaking passionately on the future of badminton in the country, Orbih said the federation was determined to build a sustainable structure that would produce visible results within the next two to three years.

According to him, the retreat was organised to ensure the federation does not operate without a clear developmental roadmap. “In the next two to three years, Nigerians will begin to see the result of what we are doing. There is a popular saying that when you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” Orbih stated.

He explained that the federation had assembled experts and resource persons to guide discussions and help formulate practical strategies to shape the sport’s future.

Orbih stressed that the federation would no longer adopt a passive approach to administration but would instead pursue deliberate and measurable goals throughout its tenure.

“We are not just going to vote, announce results and allow four years to pass by. We want to be intentional about what we want to achieve,” he said.

The BFN president identified grassroots development as the cornerstone of the federation’s vision, revealing plans to aggressively expand badminton in schools and local communities across the country.

“Grassroots and schools are very important to us, and we are going there. We also want to develop our coaches and umpires because they are critical to the future of the game,” he added.

Orbih also highlighted the federation’s growing international recognition, recalling with pride how a Nigerian umpire was invited to officiate at the World Junior Championships in India last year — the first time such an achievement had been recorded.

Describing the feat as a major milestone, he said the federation was now targeting greater international representation for Nigerian technical officials.

“We want more Nigerian umpires at African and international competitions. The only way to achieve that is through proper planning and preparation,” he noted.

Orbih further revealed that part of the federation’s broader vision was to prepare more Nigerians for leadership positions within African and global badminton structures.

The BFN boss, who currently serves as Nigeria’s only council member in the Badminton World Federation, said there were many capable individuals within the badminton family who only required adequate mentoring and preparation to succeed internationally.

“We want more Nigerians to lead African badminton bodies and contribute globally when opportunities come. That preparation must start now,” he said.

Orbih also commended the efforts of the National Sports Commission and the Nigerian Olympic Committee in supporting sports federations, while emphasising that federations must equally play their role in driving sports development.

He added that the retreat was designed to align the federation’s programmes with the broader agenda of the National Sports Commission to ensure Nigeria competes more effectively at continental and international levels.