By Danjuma Amodu | February 9, 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major reset of sports funding in Nigeria, directing the relevant ministries to ensure adequate provisions for sporting infrastructure development, maintenance, and activities are made annually in the national budget from 2026.
In a statement, President Tinubu commended Nigerian athletes for their outstanding performance in 2025, winning 373 medals across all sports, and praised the National Sports Commission for its progress despite challenges.
However, he noted that sports funding had been slowed by bureaucracy and fragmentation, and that this must change. He has therefore directed the Ministries of Finance, Budget, and Economic Planning to restructure sports funding, streamlining allocations and transferring savings to a unified funding framework under the National Sports Commission.
The reforms are part of the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE), which positions sports as a driver for job creation, tourism, investment, and global influence.
President Tinubu emphasized that sports is a national asset and must be administered, managed, and funded accordingly, with a focus on scientific elite athlete development, grassroots participation, and hosting major international events in Nigeria.
