President Bola Tinubu has approved the constitution of the board of the Nigeria Anti-Doping Agency, a move hailed as strengthening the country’s commitment to clean sports and compliance with international standards.
The announcement was made on Thursday by Malam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), following a meeting with the president at the State House, Abuja.
Dikko disclosed that the approval follows the signing of the long-awaited Anti-Doping Bill into law, which had been delayed for nearly two decades.
“Now, the board of the Nigeria Anti-Doping Agency has been constituted, fulfilling a key requirement of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and enhancing Nigeria’s credibility in global sports,” he said.
During the meeting, Dikko briefed President Tinubu on the NSC’s achievements in 2025 and outlined plans for 2026.
The commission recorded impressive results last year, securing approximately 375 medals across various sports disciplines and contributing about 1.2 per cent to the nation’s GDP in the third quarter of 2025.
The sector also attracted around N50 billion in private sector funding and created nearly 140,000 jobs, both direct and indirect.
Dikko highlighted the commission’s “Renewed Hope” initiative, aimed at positioning sports as a driver of economic growth.
He added that the government is fast-tracking nationwide sports infrastructure development, while introducing programmes to nurture grassroots talent, including the Invited Junior Athletes initiative at the National Sports Festival, Intermediate Games for under-18 and under-20 athletes, and collaborations with the Ministry of Education to revive school sports.
He stressed that sports federations must demonstrate active grassroots programs to qualify for support in international competitions.
“If federations are not showing development at the domestic level, we cannot support them,” he said.
On international issues, Dikko noted that the NSC and the Nigeria Football Federation had submitted reports to FIFA regarding alleged breaches in the World Cup, adding that the relevant FIFA bodies are addressing the matter.
He affirmed that the commission remains focused on upcoming competitions, including AFCON and WAFCON.
The development is seen as a major boost for Nigeria’s sports sector, combining regulatory compliance, talent development, and economic growth through strategic investments in sports.
