The Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), H.E. Comrade Philip Shaibu, has called for increased collaboration between the private sector, corporate organisations, embassies, and well-meaning Nigerians to support the growth and development of sports in the country.
Shaibu made the call during the official handover ceremony of badminton equipment donated by the Badminton Association of Japan to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria. The equipment was presented by the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, H.E. Ambassador Suzuki Hideo.
Expressing his appreciation for the gesture, Shaibu said sustainable development of sports infrastructure and programmes cannot depend solely on government funding, stressing the importance of private sector partnerships in transforming the sector.
“I am happy because I have consistently called for collaboration and support from the private sector in any form. Relying only on government funding, especially with the state of our infrastructure, is not sustainable,” Shaibu said.
According to him, the involvement of individuals, corporate organisations, and diplomatic partners in supporting sports would bring significant improvements while also contributing to national development and security.
Shaibu commended Ambassador Suzuki Hideo and the Badminton Association of Japan for the donation, describing the gesture as a demonstration of the impact of international partnerships in advancing Nigerian sports.
He also appreciated the donor for their support and called on them to continue serving as point of contact in encouraging other ambassadors and partners to contribute to the development of sports in Nigeria.
The NIS boss further praised the President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria as one of the progressive leaders in Nigerian sports, urging other sports administrators to explore partnerships with the private sector.
“Those who are making progress in sports should be encouraged, and others should emulate them by seeking support from the private sector,” he said.
Speaking on the transformation of the National Institute for Sports under his leadership, Shaibu revealed that many of the improvements recorded at the institute were achieved through private sector partnerships rather than direct government funding.
He explained that the approach was inspired by President Tinubu’s leadership model during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State, when the state explored alternative funding and partnership models to achieve development.
“We had to think outside the box and adopt the Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR model when he was Governor of Lagos State without relying on federal allocation. That is exactly what we are doing at NIS by bringing in private sector support to help reform the institute,” Shaibu added.
This donation is expected to strengthen sports cooperation between Nigeria and Japan, with the donated badminton equipment expected to enhance training and development programmes for athletes in the country.
Signed:
Ben Ogbemudia,
S. A. Media,
Office of the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, National Institute for Sports, ADC -Abuja.