Sports
NSC Advances Vision of Nigeria as a Global Sporting Hub, as International Gymnastics Course Holds in Abuja
The National Sports Commission (NSC) continues to make significant strides in positioning Nigeria into a global sporting hub, as the ongoing 2025/2028 International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) Judges Course takes center stage in Abuja.
Running from May 10th to 14th, 2025, the prestigious FIG MAG International Judges Course has drawn participants from across the continent — including Algeria, Egypt, Cameroon, South Africa, and host nation Nigeria — under the expert guidance of Russia’s Dimitri Andreev, a respected FIG official.
The course aims to develop high-caliber gymnastics judges, laying the groundwork for a brighter future for the sport in Africa.
Under the leadership of Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade, the NSC has tasked national sports federations with raising the bar in local talent discovery and international relevance — a challenge they are meeting with renewed vigor.
Commending the Nigeria Gymnastics Federation for its exceptional hosting of the event, the NSC noted that such achievements are part of a broader national strategy to attract international sports events and foster capacity development.
“This course is yet another step in our mission to make Nigeria a preferred destination for international sporting activities,” said DG, Hon. Bukola Olopade.
Nigeria’s credentials as a regional sports powerhouse continues to grow. Earlier in the year, Nigeria hosted the ECOWAS African Wrestling Championship with 11 countries participating in celebration of ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary. Similarly, in late 2024, Nigeria hosted the 2nd African Military Games — “AMGA Abuja 2024” — further solidifying its leadership in African sports diplomacy.
A number of Nigerian sports Federation presidents are also gaining traction in global sports governance. Francis Orbih (badminton), Daniel Igali (wrestling) and Prince kelvin Erhunmwunse (gymnastics) have recently secured influential international appointments in their respective international sports federation bodies, while more are poised to follow in this footstep.
As the FIG course progresses in Abuja, the NSC remains steadfast in its mission — creating opportunities, building expertise, and placing Nigeria firmly on the map as a center for sporting excellence.
Sports
A Triumphant Close to the 22nd National Sports Festival
…As organisers promise another spectacle at closing ceremony on Thursday
Joel Ajayi
After 11 days of a true showcase of sporting competition in multiple Sports by some of the country’s top and even promising athletes, the curtain will finally be drawn on what many have described as one of the best ever organised National Sports festivals, when the closing ceremony is held on Thursday at the MKO Sports Arena in Abeokuta.
Whilst the quality of the Games’ opening ceremony is still getting tongues wagging, the entire sporting family and beyond is now anxiously looking forward to what the closing ceremony will look like.
The last 11 days have showcased Ogun state as a true Sporting hub with potential to even do more, with the quality of the facilities built for the games and the enthusiasm of the people who made the various venues their second home in the last few days.
A big testament to this was the history-making crowd that attended the male football final between Ogun state and Kwara State, which the host won by 4-1.
The MKO stadium was filled to full capacity while the crowd outside watching from the big screen reminds one of how much Sports is truly the soul of our togetherness as a country.
From the Alake Sports centre in Ijeja and the Baptist boys high school, to the Obafemi Awolowo square and the Remo stadium both in Ikenne, to the NYSC orientation camp in Shagamu, and the Ilisan town hall in Ilisan, the festival never lacked spectatorship throughout the games.
The Games actually lived up to the pre-tournament hype as both the National Sports Commission, NSC and the Ogun state Government pulled out every administrative capacity to ensure both athletes, officials and the media have an unforgettable experience.
The Gateway Games 2024 had been full of exciting drama and intrigues amongst the states and athletes which led to different new records being set and some old records being shattered.
The festival has also produced for the country some new exciting young talents especially with the shocking performance of the 38th state, the Invited Junior Athletes ( IJA), where they ended up winning some surprised medals to justify the Commission’s establishment of the initiative.
As the Closing ceremony holds on Thursday, the leadership of the National Sports commission, NSC, expresses its profound gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ogun State Government for making sure millions of Nigerian youths see a renewed brighter future in the country through the National Sports Festival.
The NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dilko said ” our overwhelming gratitude goes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,GCFR, for his personal commitment to the development of Nigerian Sports by giving us every support financially and otherwise for the success of this festival”.
” And the Ogun state Governor, Dapo Abiodun also deserves a huge praise for the feat we all recorded with these games. I can’t thank him enough and posterity will surely remember him for good “.
The NSC Director General who is also the Chairman of the Main organising committee of the games, Hon Bukola Olopade also extended his gratitude to all the technocrats behind the scene that are responsible for the successful organisation of the games.
” From all the members of the Main organising committee to the various sub committees, to members of the local organising committees and all our technical officials in the various sports to the media and our athletes, every success that everyone is talking about concerning these Games belongs to you all”.
” Yes it was not a perfect festival because we acknowledged we had also some challenges but let me assure everyone that some of the challenges are already being worked upon ahead of the next Games holding in Enugu state next year”, he concluded.
The Closing ceremony is expected to bring together top Government functionaries to captain of industries while there will also be the rich cultural display of the state as Ogun state will officially pass the barton of hosting to Enugu state for the 23rd edition of the Games come September 2026.
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