The National Council on Sports has concluded its 2025 meeting at the Kashim Shettima Hall, State Library Complex in Calabar, adopting far-reaching resolutions aimed at strengthening sports development, safeguarding athletes, and enhancing the economic value of the Nigerian sports industry.
The meeting, themed “Business of Sports: Creating Jobs, Wealth, and Utility under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” brought together key players in Nigeria’s sports sector.
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In its communiqué, the Council commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as an unwavering commitment to sports development, particularly through the redesignation of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and increased support for the sector.
The Council also expressed appreciation to Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, and the people of the state for hosting the 2025 edition of the meeting.
Key Resolutions
The Council noted a presentation on emerging risks and underscored the need for adequate insurance coverage for athletes, officials, and facilities. It directed the NSC to ensure that all state contingents attending national competitions, including the National Youth Games (NYG), National Intermediate Games (NIG), and National Sports Festival (NSF), provide verifiable insurance.
The Council also acknowledged the progress of Enugu State as host of the 23rd National Sports Festival (Coal City Games) scheduled for November 2026, and commended the approval for the construction of international-standard swimming pools for the upcoming host states.
In recognition of infrastructure investments in recent years, the Council announced Bayelsa State as host of the 2028 National Sports Festival with Kaduna State to host the 2030 edition.
It further approved a plan by the NSC, sports federations, and state directors of sports to reduce the number of events at the National Sports Festival as part of efforts to streamline the competition.
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Anti-Doping and Athlete Development
The Council approved the development of a Nigerian Anti-Doping Policy, mandating the National Anti-Doping Committee to lead its implementation. It noted that the Nigeria Anti-Doping Centre has been designated as the national coordinating body, while the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has confirmed Nigeria’s full compliance with its global code.
To address the developmental gap between the NYG and the NSF, the Council formally approved the National Intermediate Games, targeting athletes aged 17–20. Lagos State will host the maiden edition in 2026.
Strict Sanctions for Age Cheating
Describing age-cheating as a threat to integrity in sports, the Council approved stringent penalties for offenders. Sanctions include immediate disqualification for athletes, withdrawal of medals, suspensions of up to two years, and permanent bans for repeat offenders.
Coaches and officials involved in age manipulation may face licence suspensions of up to three years, while offending state delegations may be fined ₦10 million and have results annulled. The Council also raised the possibility of criminal prosecution for adults involved in facilitating age fraud.
Strengthening Sports Governance
In line with efforts to build a robust sports economy under the Renewed Hope Initiative, the Council approved the expansion of its membership to include key private- and public-sector stakeholders.
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New participants will include representatives from the FIRS, NBS, BOI, CBN, NDIC, NNPC Limited, NIPC, States Sports Trust Funds, and the Federal Ministry of Education.
The Council also used the opportunity to commend Lagos State for agreeing to host the 2026 National Council on Sports Meeting.