Minister of Sports Sunday Dare has warned all Sports Federations to as matter of urgency start leveraging on the National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) to meet up with their financial obligation in 2023.
This becomes necessary as Minister of Sports announced that 75% of the ministry budget for 2023 was yanked off by the Federal Government. He expressed his fear that Sports in Nigeria may die in the next three years if Federations continue to wait on government funding to run their activities instead of taking advantage of the NSIP to win more sponsors.
“As a minister, I discovered that, in three years sports in Nigeria will die if they continue to rely on goverment funding.” Dare said on Thursday during his meeting with the secretaries of all the sports federation in Abuja.
He added, “75% of our Budget have been yanked off for 2023. Every sport is now business.
He continues, “Tell your sponsors that there are many things they will benefit from the program. There are government policy driving it. Raise the funds, use it anyhow you want and be accountable. The ministry will not ask you how you spend the money you source for. ”
At the meeting, the Minister informed the secretaries that with recent approval of the policy by the Federal Executive Council, the funding and control of Sports development will be handled by both the private and public sectors.
Dare expressed optimism that the policy will open up access to grants for athletes, stressing that already, an independent athletes welfare fund has been set up which will bw ceded by the government to cater for athletes’ wellbeing.
