The Federal Capital Territory Football Association Chairman, Adam Mouktar Mohammed, has urged the Federal Government-through the National Sports Commission(NSC)– to invest more in sports in order to increase the country’s Gross Domestic Product t(GDP), adding it’s one of the ways that the country can lay claim to the ‘Giant of Africa’ status.
Nigeria has hosted the FIFA Under 17 and U20 World Cup competitions in the past including hosting the 1980 and 2000(along with Ghana) editions of the African Cup of Nations in 1980 and 2000 but Mohammed noted that the country needs to do more as sports has become a bigger platform for business purposes.
He alluded to the rush by countries struggling to host the FIFA World Cup because of the financial gains that accruing from hosting such international competitions.
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“We need to step up and invest more in sports because it has become a business and not a pastime as we look at it. It is very important contributing GDP to our nation’s development. You can see countries jostling to host the World Cup,” Mohammed said recently on TVC Sports. “We see a new model now with the three country combo struggling to host the World Cup. Three countries will host the next World Cup next year and three more will do the same thing the edition after that in 2030.
“They are doing so because they have seen what sports does as a contributor to a country’s development and well-being.”
Mohammed wants Nigeria to take a cue from the United States, United Kingdom and other nations of the world who are investing in sports because of the overall gains later.
He added: “United States and United Kingdom invest heavily in their local sports because it keeps the whole nation going. It is seen as a way of life.