Sports
Sports Minister Meets Top Management Staff, Presents New Vision For Sports To Improve Its Value Proposition
Joel Ajayi
The Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh has met and brainstormed with the Top Management Staff of his Ministry wherein he presented a draft copy of a new vision for Nigerian Sports (2023-2027) for a critical review and subsequent adoption for full implementation with a view to rebranding the nation’s sports profile, improve its value proposition map so as to make it fit into templates on which the future of sports shall depend in the country.
The interactive session, which was held today in his office at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja, was part of the activities marking his one hundred days in office.
Senator Owan Enoh informed the Management that the capacity of sports to transform and improve the physical, psychological, emotional, and social wellbeing of individuals and the significant role that it plays in cultures and communities around the world are enough to justify huge investments in the sector.
He stated that the new vision of the Federal Ministry of Sports Development under his watch is to establish a thriving sports industry that will contribute about 5-7 percent to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with an annual net evaluation of about 3 to 4 billion dollars by 2027.
The Minister said I envision the enablement of a multi-trillion naira sports industry that promotes excellence in sports and fosters talent development.
Senator Owan Enoh explained that, although the development community had marginalized sports, he aligned himself with the unfolding international movement which recognizes that sports do not have to compete with other development priorities but can instead, be a powerful means for addressing them.
What was needed to surmount the challenges facing sports in Nigeria, the Minister added, is the right strategy to set it in the right direction.
He observed that going by contemporary global realities, sports is a sector that transcends mere recreation to a business where private sector investors can commit their resources and make outstanding profits.
This, he said, was one of the reasons why the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration in its Renewed Hope Agenda endorsed the National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) approved by the immediate past administration which classified sports as a business and not just a mere recreation as well as created a separate Ministry of Sports Development to holistically drive the sector with a view to providing job opportunities for our teeming youth, alleviate poverty amongst them and also ensure a peaceful and safe environment for the development of the nation.
Senator Owan Enoh
stated that one of the key stakeholders that will ensure the realization of this policy objective of government is the seasoned technocrats in the Ministry who he said over the years, made valuable contributions in the implementation of the policies, programs, and initiatives of the government.
He also noted that sustained increase in private and corporate sector participation in various sectors of
Nigeria’s economy makes it one of the fastest growing aspects of the global economy of which the most unifying sector in the world which he said is sports, if given the needed attention and recognition, will assuage the current economic challenges facing the country.
He assured that the Ministry will continue to create an enabling environment for the development of sports in Nigeria, adding that under his stewardship, the Ministry will identify and activate an enabling welfare system that will cater to serving and retired athletes, activate the sports business industry as well as funding of sports development as some of the focus areas of the Ministry.
The Minister, therefore, called on the Ministry’s Management Staff to bring in their wealth of experience and expertise to bear in ensuring that the new vision for Nigerian Sports Development is not only fully implemented but also provides the desired objectives of the present administration.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary overseeing the Federal Ministries of Sports and Youth Development Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar assured that the Management will not only support the Honourable Minister of Sports Development Senator John Owan Enoh in his efforts towards repositioning the sector for the benefit of the Nigerian economy and our teeming youth but also ensure the full implementation of the new vision in line with the policy thrust of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration.
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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