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Why We Can’t Maintain Abuja National Stadium Effectively-Dalung

Published

6 years ago

April 19, 2019

Why We Can’t Maintain Abuja National Stadium Effectively-Dalung

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung has identified inadequate of fund and manner with which they the stadiums are constructed which did not take into consideration future plan of maintenance of stadium as the reasons why Nigeria stadias scattered around the country cannot be properly maintain.

He gave this revelation in Abuja when Aljazirah Nigeria Sports visited him in his office to make a clarification on why Abuja National Stadium that suppose to be National monument that has turn to a national disgrace.

It will be recalled that, for many years Abuja National stadium is yet to honoured any match be it National or international match due to the bad pitch.

While making clarification, the minister said the sport in Nigeria is under funded and meager amount of money approve for the sports cannot take sports sector to the next level.

According to him, the problem with National Stadium is that the manner with which they are constructed did not take into consideration future plan of maintenance sustainance, the construction of the National Stadium was done in a manner that maintance becomes imposbible expect contractors sustain of maintenance as a contract.

“Government signed a maintance contract with the contractor at rate of 2billion annually but government could not continue it so, they abandoned it. And the budget approved budget cannot maintain that particular edifice that is a known fact.

“The annual budget of maintance sometimes is 200 million or 150 million for all the sporting facilities in Nigeria. The Kaduna, Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, Bauchi and Enugu

The budget is not even enough for the running of the generators and their maintance.

“200million alone cannot maintain even Abuja national stadium, if the sum of 1.5 billion is given we can use manage but that is the situation we found ourselves.

“So, that is the situation now, we have been managing from our overheads and trying to keep the stadium going, we have been managing the stadium, sometimes, when we have events taking place there, we mobilise intervention funds to try to update some of the facilities.

“At its intervention fund that we normally bank on whenever we have critical event to maintain the facilities .”

He however, commended the president Muhammadu Buhari for his unflinching supports and his magnaniminality to always make intervention fund available for sports sector.

Minister equally called on the president to continue his initiative toward the growth and development of sports in Nigeria.

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Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support

Published

5 days ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.

More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.

The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.

Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.

The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.

Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.

Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.

Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.

The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.

Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.

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