2028 Olympics: House Committee on Sports urges early preparation
…Presents N100m to Sports Ministry
By Tosin Omojola
Following Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Olympics in France, the House Committee on Sports, under the leadership of Honourable Kabiru Amadu, has called for robust planning ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
The Chairman made this statement during the Committee’s first official interactive meeting with the Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh, on Tuesday at the National Assembly.
The lawmaker, representing Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, emphasized that Nigeria cannot afford a repeat of the 2024 performance in Paris, where the country failed to win a single medal.
“Nigerian sports have progressed over the years, and it is completely unacceptable that we are still struggling to achieve podium finishes at major global competitions,” he said.
“In fact, this meeting was convened due to an urgent motion following Team Nigeria’s poor showing at the Paris Olympic Games.”
“As a proactive Committee, we have developed a blueprint to guide our oversight functions and help revamp Nigerian sports.”
“This Committee is determined to assist the Sports Ministry and various sporting federations in all possible ways, especially in the area of funding.”
The Chairman also used the occasion to present a cheque of one hundred million naira to the Minister of Sports and the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel. The amount was part of the promise made to Team Nigeria in June ahead of the Paris Olympics.
He stated that the cheque was presented on behalf of the Speaker of the House, Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, and that the funds should serve as a financial base for preparations for the 2028 Olympics.
The Committee also used the session to review the Ministry of Sports’ 2023/2024 budget. Committee members expressed dissatisfaction with discrepancies observed in the budget and urged the Ministry to address these issues ahead of future meetings.
