By Mercy Adi
The House of Representatives Committee on Sports has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for proposing ₦203.6bn for the sports sector in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, even as it increased the 2026 budget estimate of the National Institute of Sports from ₦2.8bn to about ₦60bn.
Chairman of the committee, Kabiru Amadu, who disclosed this on Wednesday, described the President’s proposed allocation as a bold commitment to national development through sports.
Amadu, who represents Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency, said the ₦203.6bn proposal reflects a 92.6 per cent increase from the ₦105.7bn approved for the sector in the 2025 Appropriation Act.
He also lauded the approval of first-line charge funding for the sports sector, noting that the move would guarantee the prompt release of funds immediately after the passage of the budget and eliminate recurring delays that have hampered preparations for competitions.
The lawmaker expressed optimism that the increased allocation would address long-standing challenges in the sector, including dilapidated sports infrastructure, particularly the national stadia, unpaid bonuses to athletes and officials, inadequate funding for over 40 sports federations, and the absence of sustainable development frameworks.
As part of its oversight and budget defence exercise, the committee raised the 2026 budget estimate of the National Institute of Sports from ₦2.8bn to about ₦60bn after consultations with the management of the institute and the leadership of the Budget Office of the Federation.
Amadu commended the leadership of the institute for reforms introduced to reposition it, stressing that adequate funding was necessary to actualise its programmes.
He said the Director-General of the institute, Philip Shuaibu, had expanded its operations despite the non-release of capital funds for 2025, describing the institute as a critical pillar of national sports development.
Established in 1974, the National Institute of Sports serves as Nigeria’s premier training and research centre for sports development, with a mandate to produce qualified coaches, sports administrators and technical personnel.
Presenting the institute’s budget estimate, Shuaibu, a former Edo State Deputy Governor, appealed for increased funding, noting that the total capital allocation for 2025 had not been released.
He lamented that 52 years after its establishment, the institute lacked a clear action plan until his management introduced a 10-year strategic blueprint aimed at repositioning it.
According to him, the non-functionality of the institute in the past contributed to the nation’s recent struggles in sports, adding that his administration had begun repositioning the Athletes Development Centre, which he described as neglected before he assumed office.
“Our mandate is to train manpower for the sports ecosystem and promote sports from the grassroots. But we cannot achieve this without adequate government funding. We need a budget that reflects our vision and mission to improve sports in Nigeria,” Shuaibu said.
He commended President Tinubu and the House Committee on Sports for their support but called for the speedy constitution of the board of the National Sports Commission, noting that a properly constituted board would provide strategic direction and institutional stability for long-term development.
Describing the institute as the lifeline of sports development in the country, Shuaibu said persistent underfunding had limited its visibility and outreach across states of the federation.
Amadu, in his remarks, reaffirmed the committee’s constitutional oversight responsibility, stating that agencies under its supervision had been invited to account for their implementation of the 2025 Appropriation Act ahead of deliberations on the 2026 proposals.
He assured stakeholders that the committee would intensify efforts to ensure transparency, accountability and value for money in the utilisation of funds allocated to the sports sector.
“As we consider the 2026 Appropriation Bill, we remain committed to ensuring that these increased resources are effectively utilised to develop infrastructure, support athletes and sustain grassroots sports development,” he said.