NIS seeks increased budget to fund, strengthen sports

The Director General, National Institute for Sports (NIS), Philip Shuaibu, has advanced the calls for increased funding to reposition the Institute and develop sports in Nigeria.

Shuaibu, who made the request during a budget defence session at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, on Wednesday, restated the NIS’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate of manpower training for the sports ecosystem, promoting grassroots sports development while emphasising that inadequate funding remains a major constraint.

“Our mandate is to train manpower for the sports ecosystem and promote sports from the grassroots. But we cannot achieve this without adequate government funding. We need a budget that reflects our vision and mission to improve sports in Nigeria,” he stated.

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While commending President Bola Tinubu and the House Committee on Sports for their continued support, the DG called for the speedy constitution of the National Sports Commission (NSC) board, saying it would play a critical role in revitalising the sports sector. He added that a properly constituted board would provide strategic direction and institutional stability necessary for long-term sports development.

The NIS called for full attention to the Institute so that Nigeria can attain its full potential in local, regional and international tournaments, as he described NIS as the lifeline of sports development in the country.

The chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Honourable Kabiru Amadu, said the NIS, as a critical part of sports development in Nigeria, needs proper funding. The lawmaker reiterated the need for increased budgetary allocation to enable the NIS discharge its responsibilities effectively, as he pledged the committee’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to improve its funding for optimal performance.