Plans to implement the National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) with incentives for investors have been announced.
The Minister of Sports Development Sen John Owan Enoh, made the announcement at the National Defence College in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said the aim is to fully unlock the economic potential of sports in Nigeria, which is the new vision and thinking of government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who now sees sports as both recreation and business.
The implementation of the National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) with incentives for investors Include School Sports Games, “It is the right approach to jumpstart the desired transformation of sports in our country,” the Minister said.
Delivering a lecture titled, “Sports Development as a Panacea for National Unity and Economic Development,” he added.”I therefore invite the private sector, investors, the civil society and the global sports community to join the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in its effort to fully unlock the economic potential of sports in Nigeria.”
He explained that sports have the potential for wealth creation, employment generation and the ability to make substantial contributions to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
As an untapped goldmine for economic development, Minister Enoh said sports have the capacity to provide “gainful” employment to millions of youths if properly harnessed.
He listed some areas the ministry would pay full attention to under his leadership, to include National Sports Festival (NSF), National Youth Games, and Sports Development Centers.
He said the ministry will not only focus on expanding and improving School Sports Games, but will also implement a strategic plan to define the growth path for discovered talents, improved welfare for athletes and Public Private Partnerships for upgrade of essential sports infrastructure.
He these were the visions which informed the decision to create a separate Ministry of Sports Development.
“I want to assure stakeholders in this critical sector and sports loving Nigerians that as a government, we are committed and determined to ensure the full implementation of this policy document in order to harness the transformative capacity of sports for the economic development of our country”, he said.