As Nigerians sports fraternity rejoices over the recent Executive Order of President Tinubu on sports funding, the Director General of the National Institute for Sports, His Excellency Comrade Philip Shaibu has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for putting and end to the bureaucratic delays in sports funding, platinumnewsng.com is reporting
President Tinubu had at 9:32 pm on January 6, 2026, in the fifth paragraph of hissupportal X handle post titled “Nigeria’s Strategic Sports Renaissance: A Year of Global Impact“, affirmed, that sports funding had for too long been slowed down by bureaucracy, fragmented across institutions, and when funds are released, they come too late to support proper preparation and even participation.
“Yet we must be honest. For too long, sports funding was slowed by bureaucracy, fragmented across institutions, and when funds are released, they come too late to support proper preparation and even participation. Likewise, no meaningful investment is made towards sports infrastructure development and maintenance that meets international benchmarks. That cycle undermined performance and placed our athletes at a disadvantage. This must change.”
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The President, however in the sixth paragraph, stated that he had approved and directed the relevant ministries and offices for the resetting of sports funding to ensure that henceforth, adequate provisions for sporting Infrastructure development, maintenance, sporting activities, programs, events and participation in international competitions are made annually in the national budget, and that all Funds so appropriated are released immediately once the budget is passed and assented to.
“I have therefore approved and directed the relevant ministries of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning and the Budget Office of the Federation, for the resetting of sports funding to ensure that henceforth as from the 2026 fiscal year adequate provisions for sporting Infrastructure development, maintenance, sporting activities, programs, events and participation in international competitions are made annually in the national budget, and that all Funds so appropriated are released immediately once the budget is passed and assented to. Nigerian athletes deserve certainty, not excuses.”
Reacting to this landmark executive order, Comrade Shaibu, in a personally signed message to President Tinubu, said the directive that all budgetary allocation for sports be released immediately after budget passage has totally eradicated the bottleneck encountered by Nigerian Sports.
”You have broken yet another jinx as a jinx breaker, for his visionary and timely directive aimed at ending bureaucratic delays in sports financing in Nigeria.
This is a resounding “Thank you message” to you our amiable President. You have not only offered the platform for service but have also provided the enabling environment and tools which have been the missing link in the history of Nigerian sports.”
An elated NIS DG thanked the President for this milestone in Nigerian Sports funding, a struggle that he was at the forefront of which has repressed the growth of sports.
”I am indeed proud to be alive to witness this revolution in Nigerian sports. The bold intervention by Mr President will enhance the planning, execution and sustainability of sports programmes nationwide. Timely access to funds will ensure that critical sports infrastructure projects are completed as scheduled, training facilities are upgraded, and equipment is procured to meet international standards.”
“The President’s order to review sports-related allocations currently dispersed across various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will bring much-needed coordination, transparency and efficiency into sports administration.”
According to the immediate past Deputy Governor of Edo State, ” this restructuring will strengthen sports as a national institution, eliminate duplication of roles, and allow for more strategic investment in athlete development and capacity building.
The National Institute of Sports (NIS) believes that this decision will reposition sports as a viable tool for youth empowerment, national unity, economic growth and global recognition. It also reinforces the Renewed Hope Agenda’s commitment to institutional reforms that deliver measurable outcomes.