Nigerian President Commits To Bolstering Horse Racing
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he is committed to bolstering horse racing in Nigeria for the nation to be on par with her contemporaries globally.
The President made the commitment at the finals of the 2025 International Renewed Hope Horse Racing Competition, held at the Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar 111 International Race Course in Bida, Niger State.
The international Horse Racing Tournament, tagged Sahel Savannah Stakes Series Bida 2025, was organised by the Horse Racing Federation of Nigeria (HFN). Tinubu was represented by the Chairman, National Sport Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko.
The president vowed to liaise with all the critical stakeholders in horse racing to take the sports to greater heights. He further said that the Federal Government would do the needful to improve horse racing and other sporting activities in the country.
“We will support all initiatives in this direction as as part of my Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said. “Horse racing will generate more employment and it’s the number one unifier and peace builder in Nigerian.”
“We will bring renewed hope to the doorstep of every Nigerian and I am keen to making all sports thrive in Nigeria.”
The President of the Horse Racing Federation of Nigeria, Yahaya Abubakar, said it was founded in 2019 with the aim of creating a national platform to regulate horse racing activities across the country.
According to the Abubakar, the federation was dedicated to promoting national unity and prosperity by bringing from various regions through a shared passion for equestrian activities.
He noted that efforts will be intensified to strengthen the cultural norms and values of the people through sports, adding that it has become necessary to prevent culture and traditions from going into extinction.
“The race, which is traditional in nature, further provided an opportunity for the display of culture and various cultural activities,” Abubarkar said.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator, Horse Racing Federation of Nigeria, Abubakar Mustapha-Bida, extolled Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to boosting horse racing in Nigeria.
According to him, the president has consistently recognised horse racing as part of efforts to ramp up the unity and socioeconomic prosperity of the nation.
While acknowledging the successes of the tournament, Mustapha-Bida also commended the Federation President for sustaining the event for 12 consecutive years.
Mustapha-Bida stated that no fewer than 500 participants featured in the event from across the Sahel Savannah countries. The national coordinator explained that Nigeria was taking a lead in the horse racing in the comity of nations in Africa.
“We are happy to be part of history and to have pushed to ensure that this has become a reality,” he added.
“We have five countries that participated in the event. They are Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. They are our international partners during racing events in Nigeria.”
NAN/Chidi Nwoke.
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