Gateway Games will test Nigeria’s sports reforms — Dikko

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Malam Shehu Dikko, says the upcoming National Sports Festival (NSF) in Ogun will serve as a major test of the Federal Government’s ongoing sports reforms.

It was reported that the festival termed ‘Gateway Games’ is slated for May 16 to May 30.

Dikko stated this while delivering a keynote address virtually from Milan, Italy, at the opening ceremony of the Extraordinary National Council on Sports meeting in Abeokuta.

“An Olympics-standard National Sports Festival in Abeokuta will be the true test of the ongoing reforms in the Nigerian sports sector,” he said.
Dikko commended President Bola Tinubu for the bold decision to replace the Federal Ministry of Sports with the NSC.

He said that the decision marked a significant turning point for the sector.

“Mr President is known for taking very bold decisions. The decision to reintroduce the NSC was a very bold one and truly challenged us.

“We aligned with the President’s Renewed Hope and Shared Prosperity agenda by launching the Renewed Hope Initiative for the Nigerian Sports Economy (RHINSE).

“This reform agenda has taken us down a road less traveled, we are no longer competition-driven but focused on the holistic development of sports, from grassroots to elite levels,” he said.

The NSC boss emphasised the need for private sector involvement, infrastructure upgrades, and greater attention to grassroots and school sports.

“We must prioritise talent development. If done right, Nigeria can generate significant revenue through the export of sporting talent.

“The goal is to make sports a major contributor to the national economy,” he added.

He said the 22nd National Sports Festival in Abeokuta should set a new benchmark and aim for an Olympics-standard event that defines future editions.