The Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), H. E. Comrade Philip Shaibu has disclosed that modalities are being finalized to enable coaches to access the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) programme of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
Shaibu made this known on Wednesday 16th, September 2026, while addressing participants at the ongoing 2026 CAF A License Course in Abuja.
According to the DG, the NIS is at its final stage of getting enlisted into the NELFUND programme, a development he said would ease the financial burden of those who find it difficult to meet up with the fees attached to acquire professional qualifications from the NIS.
Shaibu explained that under this arrangement, coaches who are unable to pay their tuition, can access loan from NELFUND and pay back when they get employment.
”I’ve also used my contact to also meet with NELFUND. And we are enlisting NIS into NELFUND. The implication of that is that you don’t need to worry about the payment.”
”When you are not able to pay, we enlist you to NELFUND, they will lend you the money to offset all your school fees.
So when you now get a job, after that, you can start paying back to NELFUND. So money will not be an issue because we are bringing in NELFUND now.”
The former Bendel Insurance of Benin player also disclosed that research conducted by the NIS indicated that about forty thousand coaches in Nigeria are not professionally licensed.
He commended the NFF for restoring the CAF A level course in Nigeria after a nine years hiatus, describing its return as an important step towards addressing the shortage of licenced coaches in the country.
He also noted that the NIS will continue to work in partnership with the NFF to ensure that the 40000 unlicensed coaches are bridged in the country.
”I want to congratulate the NFF for bringing back, after nine years, the CAF-A license programme.
For some of us, we’ve been agitating and we have not been happy about it, but it’s better late than never”.
The immediate deputy governor of Edo state expressed hope that the collaboration NIS and NFF would make it possible to have the CAF A License programme regular.
Shaibu also hoped that the partnership
between the NIS and the NFF would make it possible to provide opportunities for the estimated 40,000 unlicensed coaches to obtain necessary professional qualifications.
”I pray that with the collaboration we are having, it will not be impossible to have this programme every year. We should be able to turn up this number of over 40000 unlicensed coaches according to our research as National Institute for
Sports.
Earlier, Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme commended the National Institute for Sports under the leadership of His Excellency, Philip Shaibu for her undiluted interest in the development of coaches and initiating the synergy between NFF and the NIS.
”I must thank you for the passion you have because you know that without quality and competent coaches there’s no way you can talk about football development and you on your own, have initiated a collaboration with the Nigeria Football Federation.”
Dr. Ikpeme also commended the DG NIS for what he described as the reactivation of the institute, noting that DGs appointment was a perfect fit for the institute.
”NIS now since he came on board has been reactivated. Indeed, your appointment was to undertake the mandate of that establishment that has been moribund for a while. He gave me a proposal and said we have the facilities we have the equipment. I know it is a football matter but we can provide the facilities and modern facilities for our coaching programme.”
Signed:
Ben Ogbemudia,
S. A. Media,
Office of the Director General and Chief Executive Officer National Institute for Sports ADC Abuja.