Nigeria’s sports community, Big Sports Dialogue delivered a powerful message in Lagos on Monday: if the nation intends to compete globally, it must overhaul its sports sector—without delay.
Hosted at the Villa Dome in Ikoyi, the maiden Big Sports Dialogue 1.0 brought together leading sports thinkers, administrators, policymakers, marketers, private-sector stakeholders and media professionals.
Read Also: Nigeria Crowned Champions of 2025 ITTF-Africa Para Championship, Book World Championship Ticket
For several hours, they examined decades of structural failures, missed opportunities and policy deficiencies before outlining a roadmap for genuine reform.
This was no celebration. It was a national wake-up call.
“Speak Truth to Power” — Organisers Set a Firm Tone
Organising Committee Chairman Osaze Ebueku opened the dialogue with a bold declaration.
“This dialogue became necessary to speak truth to power. Nigerian sports have strayed too far. Today begins the journey back.”
Convener Aron Akeredola reinforced the message, stressing that the forum aimed to build solutions rather than apportion blame. He confirmed that all resolutions from the event will be documented and forwarded to the National Sports Commission (NSC) for implementation.
New Commission, New Rules — Shehu Dikko Defends Structural Reforms
NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko offered a strong defence of the government’s decision to replace the Sports Ministry with the Commission, describing it as a “courageous and necessary” reform.
“It’s no longer business as usual,” Dikko said.
“We insisted every Federation must include women. We have created a functional reward system. We are cleaning up the sector—and more reforms are coming.”
His remarks received widespread approval across the hall.
Women’s Sports: High Performance, Low Recognition
A panel featuring Aisha Falode, Mitchelle Obi, and Olisa Adibdor highlighted a persistent imbalance: Nigerian women consistently deliver international medals but remain under-recognised.
“Women carry this country on the global stage, yet they remain an afterthought,” they noted, urging the media to amplify coverage of women’s sports.
Policy Failures and Institutional Decay
Another panel with Mallam Shehu Dikko, Philip Shuaibu, Amaju Pinnick, and Nelson Ineh (GTI) acknowledged long-standing failures—poor policy direction, weak accountability and institutional neglect.
NIS Director General Philip Shuaibu lamented the deterioration at the National Institute for Sports and the abandonment of the Athlete Development Centre in Abuja, calling them “symbols of systemic collapse.” With a 10-year reform plan and six new zonal offices underway, he assured that rebuilding has already begun.
“Any Federation President Who Can’t Attract Sponsorship Should Go”
A hard-hitting third panel featuring Dr. Larry Izamoje, Itiako Ikpokpo, Chris Green, and Babatunde Fashola demanded higher standards of leadership.
“Fix welfare, fix infrastructure, fix grassroots. And if a Federation President cannot bring in sponsors—REMOVE HIM.”
Private Sector Investment: From Bronze to Billions
The final panel, led by sports marketer Mike Itemuagbor and NSC DG Hon. Bukola Olopade, emphasised the financial potential of Nigerian sports—if government creates an enabling environment.
They called for:
Tax holidays for sports sponsors
Rebates for long-term investments
Policies that guarantee investor protection
“Sports is big business. Let Nigeria treat it like big business.”
The Verdict: Nigeria Knows the Problems—Now It Must Deliver Solutions
The Big Sports Dialogue underscored a painful reality: Nigeria’s sports decline is real, embarrassing and avoidable. Yet the potential remains enormous, powered by Africa’s largest youth population and unmatched natural talent.
The message from Lagos was unmistakable: The era of mere talk is over. Nigeria must execute real sports reforms—now.
