The Senate Committee on Sports on Thursday threw its weight behind a proposal to raise the 2026 budget of the National Institute of Sports from ₦2.8bn to about ₦60bn, in a move lawmakers said is critical to repositioning Nigeria’s sports sector.
The endorsement came during the defence of the institute’s 2026 appropriation before the committee at the National Assembly.
Presenting the proposal, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the NIS, Philip Shaibu, said the enhanced allocation was aimed at strengthening training programmes, upgrading infrastructure and improving preparations for international competitions.
Shaibu, a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, told lawmakers that the objectives of the institute are to support improved training, infrastructure, and preparations for international events.
He solicited the support of the legislature in achieving his mandate for the institute.
The NIS boss also disclosed plans to train grassroots coaches across the country, equipping them with basic knowledge and modern techniques in sports development as part of efforts to rebuild Nigeria’s talent pipeline from the foundation level.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Abdul Ningi, assured the management of the institute of legislative backing, stressing that the growth of Nigerian sports depends largely on the effectiveness of the NIS.
He further promised to move a motion for the resuscitation of the board of the National Sports Commission, warning that the commission should not be run like a one-man show.
According to Ningi, by the first quarter of the year, the commission should have a functional board to oversee its affairs. He added that there is no way Nigerian sports can move forward without the National Institute of Sports.
The proposed budget increase, if approved by the National Assembly, would mark one of the most significant funding boosts for sports development in recent years, amid renewed calls for structural reforms and improved performance in global competitions.
