Sports

Sport Ministry Dissolves Sports Federations Boards Except Football

Published

6 years ago

April 30, 2021

Joel Ajayi

Ministry Of Youth And Sports Development on Friday dissolved National Olympic Sports Federations to enable smooth transmission of power from old Boards to the new one.

Minister who was represented by Dr. Simon Ebhojaiye Director of Federations, Elite Athletes Department, FEAD in the ministry made dissolution during a press briefing on Friday in Abuja.

According to the minister’s speech In keeping with the Olympic Charter which stipulates a 4 year tenure for all Sports Federations Boards, the tenure of the National Olympic Sports Federations in Nigeria have come to an end. There is a need for a transition from the old Boards to the new one.

“Within the last 4 years, a few of the National Sports Federations Boards performed remarkably well while many others have been bogged down by unnecessary bickering and divisions among the board members.

“Having run a full Olympic cycle, the Boards of the NSFs inaugurated on 21 June, 2017 are hereby dissolved to pave way for fresh elections.

“I wish to thank all the Board members for their contributions within the period they served in their various Federations Boards.”

Speaking further, the minister said “In order to ensure continuity in the administration of the Federations, Caretaker Committees are hereby put in place to manage the affairs of the Federations until elections are conducted and the new Boards inaugurated.

“Mindful of the Olympic Games in July 2021, the Caretaker Committees will work assiduously towards enhancing team Nigeria participation at the Games. The Ministry in partnership with the NOC, will release in due course, the time-table for the elections into National Sport Federation Boards.

“In order to ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral process, the Ministry requested all National Sports Federations to submit their Constitutions. Regrettably, as at date, only 7 Federations have complied.

“Having consulted with the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), the Ministry has concluded to organize elections into the Federations using the Code of Governance which is the administrative machinery that regulates the governance of Sports Federations in Nigeria.”

He therefore encouraged all Nigerians who have passion and interest for their chosen Sports and who can contribute selflessly to the development of Sports in Nigeria to show interest in the Membership of the various National Sports Federations.

However, Caretaker Committees for the 31 National Sports Federations have been put in place, who will run the affairs of the Federations until the inauguration of the new Boards.

Minister thereby enjoined all stakeholders to give the Caretaker Committees the necessary support in discharging their duties effectively.

The Caretaker Committees for 31 federations includes

CYCLING FEDERATION OF NIGERIA

Giandomenico Massari- Chairman

Mohammed Bashir-Member

Shammah Makpa- Secretary General

DARTS FEDERATION OF NIGERIA

Abubakar Gaiya Haruna-Chairman

Rita Oyoku Nwaeke-Member

Etim Udokang- Secretary General

HANDBALL FEDERATION OF NIGERIA

Samuel Ocheho-Chairman

Halima Banjeminia-Member

Muhammed Maigidansama-Secretary

NIGERIA CRICKET FEDERATION

Prof. Yahaya Adam Ukwanya- Chairman

Prof. Mariam Suleman- Member

Taiwo Oriss- Secretary

ATHLETICS FEDERATION OF NIGERIA

Olamide George-Chairman

Maria Wophill-Member

Prince Adisa A. Beyioku-Secretary

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Sports

Tinubu, Fashola, Governors, UNESCO, Sports Leaders to Headline National Grassroots Sports Summit

Published

13 hours ago

October 29, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The stage is being set for a landmark gathering at the Presidential Villa as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, and leading figures from government, sports administration and international development feature in the proposed opening-day programme of the National Grassroots Sports Development Summit 2026.

In a statement signed by Thursday by the Chairperson Media Sub-com National Grassroot Sports Summit Dr. (Mrs.) Kehinde Ajayi stated that, the two-day Summit, scheduled for November 18–19, 2026, at the Banquet Hall, State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja, is being organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye.

With the theme “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development,” the gathering seeks to produce practical solutions to Nigeria’s longstanding challenges in talent discovery, infrastructure, funding, coaching and athlete development.

The opening day, Wednesday, November 18, promises high-level engagement, with President Tinubu listed as Special Guest of Honour, while Fashola is scheduled to deliver a keynote address.

Also featuring in the Day One programme is Dr. Tayo Aduloju, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), whose organization has been engaged as technical partner to help translate discussions into a workable development roadmap.

Other personalities and institutions on the opening-day lineup include the Chairman and Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko and Hon. Bukola Olopade; the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; the President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON); and the Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Nigeria.

Also listed are Barrister Enitan Oshodi, President of the African Table Tennis Federation; the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee; and Dr. Musa Nakorji of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Research Department.

The involvement of these personalities reflects the Summit’s emphasis on connecting sports development with economic planning, education, grassroots governance, international cooperation and private-sector investment.

Adeboye described the gathering as an opportunity to move Nigerian sports beyond isolated achievements towards a coordinated national development system.

“The real question is not whether Nigeria has sporting talent.
We know we have talent in abundance. The question is how we build a system that discovers, nurtures and supports that talent consistently, from our communities and schools to the international stage,” he said.

He stressed that the participation of state governments, local councils, development institutions and sports administrators would be critical to producing lasting outcomes.

The Summit will continue on Thursday, November 19, with further stakeholder engagements aimed at developing actionable recommendations for sustainable grassroots sports development with preparations intensifying, organizers are confident that the gathering will provide a defining platform for strengthening the foundation of Nigerian sports and expanding opportunities for young people nationwide.

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