NSC DG highlights gains of hosting National Sports Festival
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has encouraged more states to host the National Sports Festival (NSF), citing its vast benefits to both state and national development.
Olopade made this known during his first official press conference with journalists covering the 22nd National Sports Festival at the media centre of the Games in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
He commended the sporting media for their coverage of the Games so far, noting that the gains of hosting an event of such magnitude cannot be quantified in only naira and kobo due to its enormous impact.
“You cannot underestimate the power of sports. Sports touch every aspect of development — from infrastructure and capacity building to entertainment and hospitality,” he said.
“This is why you can’t define the revenue value of such an event in just naira and kobo. Sports drive road maintenance, construction, capacity building, feasibility studies, and even global positioning of not just the country, but the host state.”
Explaining further, Olopade asked: “How do I quantify in dollars the value of the opening ceremony that was viewed in more than fifty countries? Does that not announce Ogun State to the world? It’s not something you recoup immediately in monetary terms.”
He also highlighted the tangible commercial impact of the festival, revealing that small and medium-scale businesses are thriving across various venues in the state.
“Over 300 small-scale businesses are operating inside the stadium alone because of the Games. Around Babcock University and its surroundings, over 100 more businesses are active.”
“In the past ten days, more than a million Adire fabrics have been sold. Sellers are even complaining of running out of stock.”
“Hotel occupancy is at its peak, and one can’t begin to calculate the profits made by the hospitality sector during the Games. This is why we urge more states to host the Festival, as it opens countless opportunities for people, especially those at the grassroots,” he concluded.
The DG also urged the media to continue partnering with the National Sports Commission and to support the host state in their coverage to help deliver a world-class Games.
