The Director General of the National Institute for Sports, Philip Shaibu, has called on sports administrators in Nigeria to start thinking in a private sector way to drive the sporting ecosystem.
Mr. Shaibu was speaking at the Forum of Past & Present FCT Sports Association Chairmen seminar tagged ‘Sports As A Business Venture’ held in Abuja.
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“We must think in a private sector way. We must reorder our priorities in Sports if we actually want it to be a business venture.
“Our bureaucracy does not allow sports to flourish the way they should.
“President Tinubu has done a lot for sports by increasing allocation. He has given a lot to sports in terms of budgeting and finances, but the bureaucracy has hampered sports development.
“The bureaucracy has to change for sports to grow. We need to change. Our budgeting and sports calendar do not align with each other.”
The NIS boss also opines that bureaucracy is killing sports in the country.
“I’m happy we now have a sports commission, but it must not just be a change of name from ministry to commission; the activities must reflect what it is, and everybody within the sports ecosystem must think the way the private sector thinks, like businessmen.”
Also speaking at the occasion, the convener of the programme, His Royal Majesty Eze Sir Ifenyi Eke, FCT Basketball chairman, said the sports sector must be private sector-driven to make it work as a business venture.
“The moment the private sector comes in, the whole ecosystem will change. Take a look at the More Arena in Abuja. It is a world-class facility driven by the private sector. Before, several of our football clubs were private clubs, but now you won’t see them anymore. Government-run teams are dominating everywhere, and you can see that they are not run professionally.”
Papers were presented by Uche Udozor and Dr. Shuri Adelin, while the Nigeria Olympic Committee deputy general secretary, Mohammed Abdulahi and board members of the FCT sports association were present at the occasion.
Dr. Armstrong Ogwuche was also live from South Africa, highlighting the methodology the nations can employ to make sports a business venture.