Sports

Sports Minister Extols President Buhari, Adopt Initiatives Investors

Published

4 years ago

September 16, 2022

The Sports Minister Sunday Dare has extolled President Muhammadu Buhari as well as those who have keyed into his Ministry’s Adopt Initiatives.

Four State Governors, a Deputy Governor, some philanthropists and corporate bodies have supported these programmes since inception.

Speaking at Thursday’s Presidential Reception for the Team Nigeria contingents to the 2022 World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games, the Minister said the recent successes recorded by Nigerian athletes would not have happened without their support.

His words: “Through the ‘Adopt Initiatives’ being implemented by my Ministry and the support of Mr President, we are witnessing a new trajectory in Nigerian sports and athletes’ performance. Equally significant is the support we have received through approved Presidential Intervention funds for sports even at short notice.

“In like manner, some well meaning Nigerians and philanthropists keyed into our Adopt Initiatives( Adopt an Athlete, Adopt a Pitch and Adopt a Sports Centre). This development provided the fulcrum for the motivation of our elite athletes and the rapid transformation of our sports facilities.”

The Dangote industries Group rehabilitated the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja while Sir Adebutu Kesington is rehabilitating the football pitch and athletics track of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Dare revealed that forty four(44) athletes have received financial support since the Adopt an Athlete initiative came on board.

He gave the names of those who have given support and played prominent roles in the recent successes recorded as; Governors Ifeanyi Okowa(Delta), Godwin Obaseki(Edo) and Dapo Abiodun(Ogun). Others are Deputy Governor(Edo) Philip Shuaibu, Engineer Noah Dallaji of African Children Talent Discovery Foundation, Tunde Folawiyo, Halogen Group, Emmanuel Akpakwu(Dakinda), Nigeria Tulip International School, Sifax Group, Premium Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Fidelity Bank and Access Bank.

At Thursday’s event, the Federal Government announced a cash reward of N200m to Team Nigeria and national honours for thirteen of the athletes.

A detailed breakdown of the cash reward shows that gold medalists got N4.5m each, silver medalists N2.5m and bronze medal winners N1.5m each.

Coaches of medal winning athletes got N1.5m each. Non medal winning athletes and coaches got N600,000 while accredited team officials got N400,000 each.

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Sports

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

Published

21 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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