Sport Nigeria, a new initiative of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and stakeholders in the country’s sports industry to chart a business-oriented pathway for sports development in Nigeria was launched recently in Africa’s biggest economy.
According to stakeholders, Sport Nigeria was set up to assist in aggregating the quantum of investment required to trigger the objectives of a repositioned sports industry.
“I am delighted to welcome you all to the official launch of Sport Nigeria, a private sector-led intervention agency established to foster the development of the sport industry in Nigeria,” said Asue Ighodalo, chairman of NESG, during the launch
Ighodalo who was represented by Niyi Yusuf, vice chairman of NESG noted that Sport Nigeria aims to achieve its objectives by harnessing and deploying investment and private sector funds across the value chain by implementing strategies for developing sports as a platform for economic, social, physical and youth development.
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He added that it will complement the government sports development efforts at national and subnational levels.
“The end goal was to ensure implementation of the repositioning of the sector into an industry and a positive contributor to the GDP,” he said.
“Our hope is that sport Nigeria actualises its mission of aggregating, facilitating an enabling investment to the sport value chain as well as delivering commercial and social benefits to industry stakeholders and consumers by developing local production and distribution infrastructure for the consumption of sport media and entertainment.”
Similarly, Babatunde Folawiyo, chairman of Sport Nigeria said it was created as a private sector-led bridge to aggregate, facilitate and enable the requisite investment into the sport sector and the achievement of the objectives of a vibrant sustainable sports industry across the entire value chain according to the outlines of the country’s sports industry policy.
“The men and women in Sport Nigeria are committed to the process required to deliver on the vision of Nigeria as a sporting nation with a vibrant, viable, and sustainable sports industry through professional development and management of the entire value chain of the industry,” he said.
Also speaking during the launch, Nkechi Obi, managing director, Sport Nigeria said that Sport Nigeria will help grow Nigeria’s sport industry, noting that it will assist in building the community base industry in the sport sector by increasing private sector participation.
In his goodwill message, Sunday Dare, Minister of Sport said the launch is a bold step by the private sector to build a business model for Nigeria’s sports development.
“The event signposts the future of sports development but more importantly takes the audacious step needed to galvanise everyone to action,” Dare who was represented by Henry Nzekwu said.
“The government, private sector, sports stakeholders, sponsors, the international community must respond to the emerging opportunities in the sector,” he stated.
