Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), His Excellency, Comrade Philip Shaibu, has urged corporate organisations, private investors, diplomatic missions and public-spirited Nigerians to play a more active role in financing sports development, insisting that government resources alone cannot sustain the sector.
Shaibu made the appeal during the official presentation of badminton equipment donated by the Badminton Association of Japan to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria. The donation was formally handed over by the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Ambassador Suzuki Hideo.
Speaking at the ceremony, the former Edo State Deputy Governor expressed gratitude for the support, describing the donation as another example of how strategic partnerships can accelerate sports development in Nigeria.
He stressed that improving sports infrastructure and athlete development requires a collective effort, noting that dependence on government funding is no longer sufficient.
“I have always advocated greater collaboration with the private sector in whatever form. Given the condition of our sporting infrastructure, it is unrealistic to expect government alone to shoulder the responsibility,” Shaibu said.
He added that support from businesses, individuals and international partners would not only enhance sports development but also contribute to youth empowerment, national growth and social stability.
Shaibu commended Ambassador Suzuki Hideo and the Badminton Association of Japan for their generosity, saying the donation underscores the value of international cooperation in advancing Nigerian sports.
He also encouraged the ambassador to continue fostering similar partnerships by motivating other diplomatic missions and development partners to support sports initiatives across the country.
The NIS Director General further praised the leadership of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, describing its president as one of the forward-thinking administrators in Nigerian sports. He urged officials of other sports federations to emulate such efforts by actively seeking private sector partnerships.
According to Shaibu, many of the reforms and improvements recorded at the National Institute for Sports since he assumed office have been driven largely through collaborations with private organisations rather than relying exclusively on government allocations.
He explained that the strategy mirrors the development model championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his time as Governor of Lagos State, where innovative partnerships complemented public funding.
“We have embraced a model that encourages alternative funding through private sector collaboration. That is the approach we are implementing at the National Institute for Sports to reposition the institution and deliver meaningful reforms,” he said.
The donation is expected to deepen sports relations between Nigeria and Japan while providing athletes with improved training equipment to support talent development and enhance performance.