Tag: Mallam Shehu Dikko

Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, has dismissed recent insinuations surrounding the FIFA Goal Project in Kebbi State, describing them as misleading and politically motivated.

Speaking on the issue, Dikko, who disclosed that he was the first Nigerian to oversee a FIFA Goal Project in the country, affirmed that the Kebbi facility followed due process and met all FIFA standards before commissioning.

“I was the first person to handle a FIFA Goal Project in Nigeria, hence I can speak to the Kebbi project issue,” he stated. “The project was advertised as reflected on the requisite website before it was given. It totally followed due process and was certified and commissioned by FIFA.”

Dikko explained that the global football body released $1.2 million—equivalent to about ₦300 million at the time—for the project, and that every expenditure was properly accounted for. He cautioned against drawing unfair parallels between Nigeria’s project and the ongoing Nairobi facility, which he said was a completely different undertaking by the Kenyan government valued at over $300 million.

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 “It is absurd to juxtapose the Kebbi project and that of the Nairobi project being put in place by the Kenyan government at over $300 million,” Dikko emphasized.

He urged journalists and sports stakeholders to always verify information before publication, noting that unverified reports could damage the integrity of national efforts and distract from pressing sporting goals.

 “As professionals, I advise that you always seek clarification and check before you jump into conclusion,” he cautioned. “Is it this time we are struggling to qualify for the FIFA World Cup that we are supposed to bring unverified stories and spread by certain people based on politics and other issues?”

Dikko reiterated the Commission’s commitment to transparency and accountability in all sports development projects, assuring Nigerians that the Kebbi FIFA Goal Project remains a model of due process and compliance.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, has confirmed that Nigeria is bidding to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2031 African Games. Dikko is seeking support from the African Sports Ministers Council to help Nigeria secure the hosting rights for both events.

“We’re hoping that maybe this time around, we should be able to get the 2030 Commonwealth Games and we should be able to make Africa very proud via that event if we get the opportunity,” Dikko said.

Nigeria previously bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2009 but was unsuccessful. Dikko believes that with the support of African Sports Ministers, Nigeria can secure the hosting rights for the 2030 edition.

In addition to the Commonwealth Games, Nigeria is also bidding to host the 2031 African Games. Dikko revealed that a letter has been sent to express Nigeria’s interest in hosting the event, and the country is awaiting further conversation.

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“We’ve already sent an indication that we’d be ready to host the African Games in 2031,” Dikko said. “We want to see how that can go ahead.”

Nigeria has previously hosted the African Games twice, in Lagos 1973 and Abuja 2003. The country is also set to host the African Youth Games in 2027.

The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event that brings together athletes from across the Commonwealth of Nations. Africa has never hosted the Commonwealth Games, despite almost half of the countries in Africa being members of the Commonwealth.

The African Games is a continental multi-sport event held every four years, organized by the African Union with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa and the Association of African Sports Confederation. The event has been held 13 times, with the last edition taking place in Accra, Ghana in 2023 and Egypt will be hosting the next edition in its capital Cairo in 2027.

With Nigeria’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2031 African Games, the country is hoping to make a mark on the international sports scene and showcase its capabilities as a host nation.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, has affirmed that the Federal Government’s recent rewards  for  Nigerian athletes  was  a deliberate strategy to secure the future of sports in the country.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Nest Resource Centre in Abuja, where he was Guest of Honour at an event organized by the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Dayo Israel, Dikko said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s gesture goes beyond mere celebration of victories.

“The rewards are not just symbolic — they show genuine commitment from the government to recognize excellence and invest in the future of Nigerian sports. When athletes know their efforts are valued, they push harder, and that builds a culture of success,” he explained.

According to him, the initiative is in line with the Federal Government’s broader vision of using sports as a tool to curb crime, unemployment and restiveness among Nigerian youths while promoting discipline and national unity.

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Dikko stressed that the era of neglecting athletes is over, noting that President Tinubu is determined to make sports a pillar of youth empowerment and national pride.

“Every Nigerian athlete now understands that if you do the right thing, your country will stand behind you. What the President is doing is not just about rewarding the present — it is laying a solid foundation for the future of Nigerian sports,” he said.

He revealed that the government is already working on a National Sports Development Framework, a structured system designed to guide athletes, coaches, and stakeholders under the Renewed Hope initiative.

 “We are building a culture that values principle, discipline, and performance. This is not only about medals — it’s about giving every Nigerian athlete a fair chance at greatness. Truly, this is just the beginning,” Dikko concluded.

The chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, has poured encomiums on strategic partners to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited for their effort at repositioning Nigerian football.

He made the remark during the presentation of Newstap/SWAN 5-star award to the GMD of GTI Group, Abubakar Lawal, alongside four other recipients in Lagos.

The well-attended event was jointly organised by Newstap Communications Limited and Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).

In his opening speech Dikko revealed how he and other football administrators ensured GTI’s remarkable entry into the Nigerian sports ecosystem and since then our country’s football has witnessed a positive trajectory.

 “I appreciate the organisers of Newstap/SWAN award for a successful execution of the maiden edition of this award and thank GTI Group for their effort so far in repositioning our beautiful game,” Dikko began. “I made serious effort to ensure that I’m present at this event today and I thank God that I succeeded. When I eventually came here and saw the team from GTI, I was overwhelmed with joy such that I didn’t know how to start thanking them for their accomplishments with the NPFL and President Federation Cup. I want to commend GTI for taking a big risk in trying to reposition our elite league and today the result speaks for itself.

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 “I and Barrister Seyi Akinwumi were part of the team that started the process of bringing GTI into our football ecosystem and we are glad with their achievements so far with our football. Frankly, GTI has surpassed our expectations and I pray they recoup all their investments at the end of the day.”

The other four recipients of the Newstap/SWAN Awards include Benue State Governor, Rev Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia; Benue State FA Chairman, Barr Paul Edeh; Chairman of Valuejet Airlines, Hon. Kunle Soname and Founder Monimichelle Construction Limited, Chief Ebi Egbe.

In his final remark at the occasion, National President of SWAN,  Isaiah Benjamin, urged the five awardees never to rest on their oars in contributing their quota to the development of sports generally in the country. He further revealed that preparations are in top gear for the 60th Diamond Jubilee celebration of SWAN and affirmed that the event will be held later this year. 

National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko has enjoined various Sports Federations to institute many  domestic tournaments in  order to boost the Commission’s drive for  grassroots sports development .

Speaking on the heels of the impressive performance of the Nigerian badminton team at the All Africa Senior Badminton Championship in Douala , Cameroon, where the team finished third in the overall table with one gold and two bronze medals, Mallam Dikko pointed out that with more domestic tournaments the sky will only be the team’s starting point.

He said: “I must commend the badminton team for this feat. This is why we have been harping on the need for the federations to hold constant tournaments across the country. There is no doubting the abundance of talents in the country. They only need to be harnessed. As these A-list players are doing exploits in Cameroon, there is need to ensure that fresher talents are being discovered as well to take over from them. That is the real sports development. In fact constant domestic tournaments will keep the athletes competitive and ready for these international tournaments. 

“Victory at these international competitions is excellent but as we have been trumpeting at the Commission, we are moving from a competition-driven disposition to a development-driven one. We want to place more emphasis on the development of the sports down to the grassroots. We want more domestic development of these sports. We want a sustained podium performance that is why we are intensifying efforts to strengthen our conveyor belt of talents. 

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“The now of badminton is pleasant with such performances in Douala and I must congratulate all stakeholders involved but our assignment is to also make sure that tomorrow is secured. That is the mandate given to us by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. He has mandated us to develop sports down to the grassroots and me and my DG Hon. Bukola Olopade along with the President’s SSA on Grassroots Sports Development Adeyinka Adeboye ‘Zulu’ have properly keyed into that mandate and driving the process with all we got .”

He pointed out that considering the 2025 budget allocation for Sports Federations, the future can only be brighter for the Federations and their operations. 

“There is a budget line in the 2025 budget for some  funding support to the Sports Federations. The money may not be that much but it is a good starting place. It means that every year there will be provision for the Federations. We now have to task them on proper grassroots development of the sports. We need evidence of how many domestic tournaments a Federation has organized before they can access funding for a foreign tournament”, he said.

The NSC helmsman applauded the badminton team for the continental exploits.

He added: “When we preach podium performance, this is it. We want our teams to perform creditably and appear on the podium always. We were on the podium three times at the All Africa Senior Badminton Championships and we are proud of this team. As a Commission, we assure them of the necessary support to even record more podium performances in the future. Due recognition must also go to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria led by Mr. Francis Orbih for this achievement.”

Anuoluwapo Opeyori won a fifth consecutive gold medal in the men’s singles event, while the men’s doubles and mixed doubles teams picked a bronze each.

Chairman of National Sports Commission (NSC) Mallam Shehu Dikko said Waldorf Knoll has keyed into the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s grassroots Sports development program following the conclusion of their  inter-house sports on Saturday in Abuja.

Dikko, who doubled as the Chairman of the event , hailed the way Waldorf Knoll organized the inter-house sports adding that it will make it easy for the Commission to identify talents scattered around Nigeria. He therefore promised the Commission supports to make it better than what it is

“So the Inter-house sport  happening here today clearly speaks and aligns with our objective. I have been coming here even before I became the Chairman of National Sports Commission, so, it is something that is deep and is in my heart I am not just here for the fun of it. So, I will use that position to advance it to make it much more better and to create more advocacy that we need that will align with this vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

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“In fact, what we did was to set up Committee between National Sports Commission and the Federal Ministry of Education to see how we can work together and identity talents.

“In the meeting we had we the Vice Chancellors, Directors, Provost is to put them on alert  that we now have to focus on the sport and already we have seen the outcome for example we have got letters from University of Jos who have presented themself to us as the Centre of Excellence for North Central. They are now focusing on setting up national courses of sports. There will be Degree Courses of sport activities to align with other international schools, so that they can be friendly to them.

The chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko has stated that the Nigeria’s elite football league has the potential to play pivotal role in Nigeria’s sporting economy.

Dikko made the statement while addressing the NPFL Club Owners delegation that paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

“What happens with the league and how we ensure it works effectively will be instrumental in building a viable sports economy,” Dikko stated, emphasizing that football has the potential to be a powerful driver in realizing this vision.

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Dikko, who led the Nigerian Professional Football League as the chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), warmly welcomed the delegation, describing them as “a family” and members of his primary constituency.

Expressing his joy over the visit, Dikko emphasized the importance of unity and shared responsibility for the development of Nigerian sports, particularly the football league.

Chief Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, chairman of the Forum congratulated Shehu Dikko on his well-deserved appointment and applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for fitting a square peg in a square hole. He advised that the NSC should prioritize sports infrastructure and grassroots development programs.

A Senior Special Assistant (Media) to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Fred Edoreh,  believes the newly appointed  Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, is the right choice to reshape Nigerian sports and bring back lost glories.

The NSC  is now the Nigerian  apex body  responsible for  regulating sports in  the country  following the scrapping of the Ministry of Sports Development.

Yesterday, the former  Minister of Sports  Development, Senator John Owan Enoh  formerly handed over  the affairs of the country’s  sports to Mallam Dikko .

Edoreh , a former Chairman of  Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Lagos  State Chapter said  the performance of Dikko in  previous assignments as board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) among other portfolios ,  would stand him in good  stead  at his new office.

He  argued that the recent poor performances of Nigeria in international sporting competitions with billions of Naira going down the drain and some obvious errors which have denied the country’s sportsmen from performing at optimum were unacceptable and that it was evident the country’s sports needed a rejig and that President Bola Tinubu meant well with the appointment of Dikko.

Edoreh  spoke glowing about what Dikko would bring to the table in the area of sports marketing from what the former NFF Second Vice President had done previously.

“He was part of the delivery of the major sponsorship of the Nigeria football league by Globacom, worth about  $1m per season then, and when the politics of the league board constrained the flow of the deal, throwing up all manners of encumbrances against the domestic game, thus necessitating the creation of the League Management Company, he was called upon to serve as the CEO while Hon Nduka Irabor-led the charge as Chairman, to give the league a new life,”  he said

“Together, they not only revalue the league and renegotiated a new broadcast right of about $8m per annum, but also presented Nigerian sports fans exciting sights and sounds that increased, stadium attendance and the upticks of the league through effective live broadcast and mix media promotions that attracted many other brand sponsors and partners.

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“Their objective was clear, to drive sports as a contributor to the national GDP through sponsorships, endorsements, job creation,  generation of enterprise and greater financial value and returns for clubs.

“It was for this reason that the LMC struck a partnership with the Spanish LaLiga, culminating in the sponsorship of Nigeria league club chairmen to a hands-on club business training in Spain.

The tour tagged “Beyond 3 Points” which took them through Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid, was designed to enable the club owners, managers and the media understand first-hand the business and economy of club football, beyond the mentality of winning at all cost.

Part of it was also the selection of an All-Star team from the Nigeria league sides to participate, for the first time, in the prestigious  Trofeo Costa Del Sol football Tournament, for high level exposure.”

He  also praised Dikko’s contributions to youth football development while adding that under the revamped NSC, Dikko would make it broader to Nigerian sports.

Edoreh added: “From my association and knowledge of him, my answer is an emphatic Yes. Apart from being very personable, decorous and organised, he is well schooled both in the technicalities, administration, management and marketing of sports. He has the requisite corporate background, contacts to brands, and with wide and deep relations in international sports politics.

“A stickler for athletes’ welfare, he knows where the shoe pinches and well understands that something needs to be done to establish a strong funding base for our sports, besides the usual government budgetary system, to enable effective training and preparation of athletes and personnel.”