The National Institute for Sports (NIS) has raised the red flag, insisting that without stronger financial backing, Nigeria’s sporting dreams may remain stuck at the starting blocks.
Speaking during a budget defence session at the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, the Director General of NIS, Mr. Philip Shaibu, made a passionate case for increased allocation to the institute, stressing that talent alone cannot win medals—investment does.
He reaffirmed the institute’s resolve to drive sports development across the country but warned that ambition without funding is like a car without fuel.
“Our mandate is training manpower for the sports ecosystem as well as promoting sports from the grassroots.
“But we cannot do all that without adequate government funding; we need a budget that will reflect our vision and mission to improve sports,” he said.
Shaibu applauded President Bola Tinubu and the House Committee on Sports for their backing so far, but noted that more decisive steps were needed.
He urged the swift constitution of the board of the National Sports Commission (NSC), describing it as a catalyst capable of breathing fresh life into Nigeria’s sports architecture.
According to him, the board’s inauguration would serve as a turning point in repositioning the nation’s sporting fortunes.
Painting NIS as the heartbeat of sports development in Nigeria, Shaibu argued that the institute deserves premium attention if the country truly seeks to compete on the global stage.
He attributed its limited footprint across states to chronic underfunding, saying the absence of NIS structures nationwide is not for lack of vision, but lack of resources.
Earlier, Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Rep. Kabiru Amadu, did not mince words as he frowned at the institute’s lean purse. He described NIS as a critical pillar in the nation’s sports ecosystem and underscored the urgency of boosting its funding.
Amadu pledged that the committee would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure improved budgetary provisions for the institute, promising a united front to help NIS deliver at optimal capacity.
Established in 1974, the National Institute for Sports serves as Nigeria’s foremost training and research hub dedicated to nurturing expertise and advancing sports development nationwide.
