Nigeria’s National Sports Commission (NSC) director-general, Honourable Bukola Olopade has come out with a detailed explanation of reasons behind the recent cash reward he has been handing out to secondary school students.
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Sports247 reports that Olopade started the largesse in Lagos, where he gave out a total sum of N5m to two students on Wednesday, then followed it up with a similar donation the following day in Abeokuta.
While some youth developers and community leaders are critical of handing out monetary rewards for students, Olopade explained that it is an ideal way of showing appreciation and encouragement to the youngsters.
He added that the appreciation tour was a joint-decision taken among top officials of the NSC, as they reckoned that younger athletes also need to be motivated the same way as is being done for those in the elite cadre.
Consequently, ‘D.G’ commenced his appreciation tour on Wednesday at The Grange School, Ikeja, Lagos, where two teenage swimmers – Aidan Dumuije-Abili and Tofunmi Ibidapo – were rewarded for their amazing performances in 2025.
Olopade continued the tour on Thursday in Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola was presented with a cheque of ₦3m, which the director-general said was part of the NSC’s reward initiative.
He recalled that Majekodunmi romped into limelight at the 2024 National Sports Festival, where she won gold in the 400 metres and 4x400m relay, then repeated the double triumph on the continental level.
The fast-rising quarter miler further made hay at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship in Abeokuta and later twinkled bright at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Olopade explained that the NSC deemed it necessary to extend financial rewards to junior athletes after elite ones received training grants, hence the need to also recognise young ones who made Nigeria proud in 2025.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed there was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” Olopade affirmed.
Sports247 gathered further that, of 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by junior talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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