Sports

NSC Pushes for Excellence as Sports Officers’ Undergo Training

Published

1 year ago

May 6, 2025

By Joel Ajayi

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has urged sports officers across the country to leverage their expertise in driving innovation and implementing modern techniques to accelerate the growth and development of Nigeria’s sports sector.

NSC Chairman, Malam Shehu Dikko, gave the charge on Tuesday in Abuja during a two-day workshop themed “Striving for Excellence.” The workshop was designed to empower NSC personnel—key drivers of the Commission’s new agenda—with the tools, knowledge, and mindset needed to enhance productivity and service delivery across the sports ecosystem.

The training, with the theme “Reset, Refocus, and Relaunch of the Nigerian Sports Sector for Greater Performance,” aims to create a more vibrant and economically viable sports industry in the country.

Describing sports officers as the engine room of the Commission, Dikko emphasized their pivotal role in policy implementation and sectoral transformation.

“We are counting on sports officers because they are the ones translating the Commission’s policies and vision into action,” he stated.

“This gathering gives us the opportunity to engage, communicate our goals, and help them understand the direction we’re taking. Once they own the vision, they can effectively drive and implement it.”

Dikko noted that the workshop is just the beginning of a continuous development initiative.
“This won’t be a one-off training. Our plan is to institutionalize this process, ensuring that the vision and focus become part of the Commission’s culture—sustainable regardless of who is in charge.

“That way, future leaders will inherit a competent, capable workforce ready to carry the torch.”
In his goodwill message, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) President, Habu Gumel, commended the program, calling it a valuable initiative for the capacity development of sports officers.

“This training will enhance your knowledge and performance, ultimately benefiting the entire sector.”

Also speaking, the Director of the Federation of Elite Athletes Department at the NSC, Olumide Bamiduro, noted that the initiative is part of the Commission’s broader vision to develop a thriving sports economy.

“It is essential to train our sports officers with up-to-date knowledge and global best practices, particularly at the elite level,” he said. “This is a critical step toward unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s sports economy.”

He encouraged participants to take full advantage of the workshop to advance sports development at all levels.

The Workshop continues on Wednesday with papers presentation in the morning on ‘Change Management in National Sports Federations, and Remodeling Sports Governance and Development in Nigeria’ by Barr. Musa Ahmadu and HRH Alhassan Saleh Yakmut respectively.

Lunch Break will witness session 7 and 8 with papers presentation by Dem Samuel Ogbondeminu and Mr. Olusoji Adeniran on “Keeping National Federation Compliant in the Anti-Doping Chain and Mastering Organizational Skills for Work Proficiency and Performance” respectively.

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

33 mins ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

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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