Sports
Dikko Commends Ogun, Calls for Higher Standards in Sports Hosting
By Joel Ajayi
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, has commended Ogun State for its exceptional hosting of the ongoing National Sports Festival, describing it as a transformative moment for sports development in Nigeria.
He urged other states aspiring to host future editions to emulate and surpass the standards set by Ogun.
Speaking during a World Media Chat at the Local Organizing Committee Secretariat, Dikko praised the impressive organization and swift resolution of challenges during the festival.
“This festival represents a significant improvement over previous editions,” he said. “While it’s normal to encounter challenges in events of this scale, the prompt and effective handling of such issues demonstrates true commitment. This edition will now serve as a benchmark for future games.”
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Dikko reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment, in line with the President’s directive, to transforming sports into a viable economic sector.
“We are building a sports economy—beyond the competitions, we are focusing on job creation, value chains, and revenue generation. Ogun’s example is already inspiring other states to step up and host future events,” he explained.
He revealed plans by the NSC to establish a fixed national sports calendar, designating November and December as official months for the National Sports Festival. He also disclosed ongoing efforts to attract private sector sponsorship through a sustainable strategy.
Highlighting the President’s emphasis on grassroots development, Dikko praised the inclusion of Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) at the festival.
“The IJA initiative excites us because it reflects the future. These young athletes, selected from youth competitions, are being nurtured to become tomorrow’s champions,” he noted.
He added that the junior athletes, along with selected elite athletes, will represent Nigeria at the upcoming African Youth Games. Currently, 65 athletes are benefitting from the “Adopt-An-Athlete” program, which is funded by the private sector and managed by the Elite Athletes Development Podium Committee.
Dikko also announced a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education to revive school sports nationwide. The plan includes introducing sports programs in primary and unity schools across all local government areas, and establishing “universities of excellence” in each geopolitical zone to support student-athletes.
On sports governance, Dikko vowed that only credible and committed individuals will be allowed to lead sports federations.
“We will no longer tolerate underperforming federation presidents who contribute little or nothing to sports development,” he stated.
He applauded the federal government for approving a budget for preparations toward the Olympic and Commonwealth Games—an unprecedented move in Nigeria’s sporting history. He emphasized that available resources will be focused on sports where Nigeria has a competitive advantage.
Dikko concluded by expressing appreciation to the media for their balanced coverage and announced plans to enhance media facilities at future festivals. He also revealed ongoing efforts to launch a dedicated private sports channel and expand the Commission’s YouTube presence to improve visibility and coverage.
In his remarks, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, acknowledged media concerns but assured that proactive measures were taken to address
Sports
Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney
Joel Ajayi
The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.
Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.
In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.
The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.
In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.
At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.
According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.
He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.
“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.
Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.
He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.
The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.
He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.
“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.
Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.
The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.
According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.
The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.
It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.
The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.
He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.
“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.
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