Former Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Youth and Sports and one-time Chairman of the Sokoto State Football Association, Danladi Bako, has expressed concern over Nigeria’s poor investment in athletics despite the nation’s huge talent pool.
Reflecting on the just-concluded Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Finals, Bako noted that the event once again highlighted the gulf between countries that deliberately invest in sports and those, like Nigeria, where athletes are left to struggle.
He observed that athletes across the world dedicate enormous time, energy, and resources to reach the top, often backed by their governments through grants, scholarships, and welfare programs. In contrast, Nigeria and much of the developing world prioritize education, health, and poverty alleviation, leaving sports underfunded.
“The benefits of investing in sports are unquantifiable. From global diplomacy to visibility and international reputation, no other sector offers such a return on investment,” Bako said.
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Drawing comparisons, he cited the dominance of American icons like Florence Griffith-Joyner, Michael Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Muhammad Ali, who not only elevated U.S. athletics but also enhanced the nation’s global image. Similarly, Jamaica, despite its small size, has consistently produced world-class sprinters such as Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, while Botswana — with a population smaller than Lagos — claimed gold in the men’s 4x400m relay in Tokyo.
Nigeria’s presence in Tokyo 2025 was largely upheld by Tobi Amusan’s silver in the women’s 100m hurdles and Kanyinsola Ajayi’s valiant effort in the men’s 100m. Bako, however, stressed that the country’s performance remains far from the heights once reached by the likes of Innocent Egbunike, Chidi Imoh, Yusuf Alli, and Falilat Ogunkoya — athletes mostly nurtured by the U.S. collegiate system rather than Nigeria’s own structures.
To reclaim lost glory, Bako recommended a comprehensive strategy including integrating athletes from the National Youth Games and School Sports Federation into structured development programmes; recruiting world-class coaches; building and maintaining high-performance facilities and ensuring federations are led by passionate and patriotic sports administrators.
He further noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s revival of the National Sports Commission and the allocation of ₦12 billion to the Sports Ministry earlier this year shows a willingness to support sports.
“With the right policies and consistent investment, Nigeria can restore its podium presence and reclaim its place among the world’s best in athletics,” Bako concluded.
