Gateway Games 2025 will test Nigeria’s sports reforms – Dikko

The upcoming Gateway Games 2025 in Abeokuta will serve as a major test of Nigeria’s ongoing sports sector reforms, according to Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

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

He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the bold decision to replace the Federal Ministry of Sports with the National Sports Commission, stating that the move marked a significant turning point for the sector.

“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,” Dikko said.

He emphasized the need for private sector involvement, infrastructure upgrades, and greater attention to grassroots and school sports. “We must prioritize 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.

Highlighting the significance of the upcoming Games, Dikko noted, “The 22nd National Sports Festival in Abeokuta should set a new benchmark. We must aim for an Olympics-standard event that defines future editions.”

Welcoming members of the Council, Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun—represented by Deputy Governor Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele—assured delegates of the state’s readiness to host a world-class event. This was earlier reiterated by the state’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Wasiu Isiaka.

The ceremony culminated with the presentation and adoption of various memoranda and proposals by the Council, read out by NSC Director-General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, who chaired the technical session.