The Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has called for a renewed collaboration between the public and private sectors, saying such a partnership is essential to transforming Nigeria’s sports industry and driving national development.
Shaibu made the call while speaking at the end of a two-day workshop of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) Exhibition Workshop in Abuja.
According to him, the platform provided an opportunity for meaningful engagement between government and the private sector.
Speaking on the renewed mandate of the NIS, he said the Institute has come back to life after 52 years of stagnation.
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He said, “For us at the National Institute for Sports, we have consistently advocated collaboration between the government and the private sector because it is critical to the growth of our economy.
“It is time for us to change our mindset. Today, the NIS is back to life after 52 years. If NIS works, Nigeria will work, but if NIS fails, Nigeria will eventually fail.”
While adding that a vibrant sports sector would significantly reduce unemployment and help tackle insecurity, he emphasised that sports has become a major economic resource.
“Sports is the new oil well, whether you like it or not. If we develop sports properly, unemployment will become a thing of the past, while insecurity, if not completely eradicated, will be greatly reduced,” Shaibu added.
Shaibu revealed that with the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Institute for Sports has established operational presence across all six geopolitical zones of the country, adding that the Institute is on course to extend its reach to all 36 states by the end of next year.
He added that Nigeria must focus on developing its own sporting talents instead of merely watching other nations compete on the global stage as he appealed to private organisations and educational institutions to partner with the Institute saying Nigeria currently faces a shortage of certified coaches.
“We don’t need to remain on social media discussing other countries at the FIFA World Cup. We should also be there. It is time for us to change our mindset, and programmes like this help set the tone. We are having a shortage of coaches in Nigeria. Many Physical and Health Education teachers in our secondary schools are not certified coaches. Coaching does not end on the streets; coaches must be properly trained and certified.”
He explained that NIS is currently training certified coaches who will, in turn, train school children as part of the institute’s grassroots sports development initiative in partnership with schools across the country.
The NIS DG however encouraged parents and guardians to enrol their children and wards in NIS programmes, expressing confidence that sustained investment in grassroots sports and coaching development would restore Nigeria’s dominance in international competitions.
