Reps raise NIS 2026 budget proposal to ₦60bn

2026-02-11 - 16:59

By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja The House of Representatives Committee on Sports has increased the 2026 budget proposal of the National Institute of Sports (NIS) from ₦2.8 billion to about ₦60 billion, citing the need to reposition the institute as a critical driver of sports development in Nigeria. Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Kabiru Ahmadu, disclosed the upward review on Wednesday, explaining that the decision was reached in collaboration with the institute’s management and after consultations with the leadership of the Budget Office of the Federation. Ahmadu commended the leadership of the NIS for introducing reforms that have begun to yield visible results, stressing that adequate funding is essential to consolidate the gains recorded. He specifically praised the Director-General of the institute, Philip Shuaibu, for what he described as a significant turnaround in the fortunes of the NIS. “The new Director-General has expanded the operations of the institute and repositioned it for greater impact. Despite the non-release of capital funds for 2025, the institute was able to achieve so much,” Ahmadu said. He lamented the persistent underfunding of the institute, describing it as a vital pillar in the nation’s sports architecture. According to him, enhanced budgetary allocation would enable the NIS to effectively discharge its statutory responsibilities. The National Institute of Sports, established in 1974, serves as Nigeria’s foremost training and research centre for sports development, with a mandate to produce qualified coaches, sports administrators and other technical personnel for the sector. Presenting the institute’s budget estimate, Shuaibu, a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, appealed for increased funding, revealing that the total capital allocation for 2025 had not been released. He noted that 52 years after its establishment, the institute lacked a clear strategic direction until his management introduced a 10-year development plan aimed at repositioning it for sustainable growth. Shuaibu linked Nigeria’s recent underperformance in sports to the long-standing dysfunction of the institute. “The non-functionality of the institute made it impossible to properly develop our athletes. That is why we are seeing children born outside the country increasingly representing Nigeria at international competitions,” he said. He disclosed that efforts were underway to revive the Athletes Development Centre, which he described as being in a deplorable state when he assumed office. Reaffirming the institute’s commitment to grassroots sports development and manpower training, Shuaibu stressed that inadequate funding remains a major impediment. “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,” he said. While commending President Bola Tinubu and the House Committee on Sports for their support, the NIS boss called for the speedy constitution of the board of the National Sports Commission, noting that a properly constituted board would provide the strategic direction and institutional stability required for long-term growth. Describing the NIS as the lifeline of sports development in the country, Shuaibu urged the Federal Government to accord the institute priority attention to enable Nigeria achieve greater success in both local and international competitions. He attributed the institute’s limited presence across states of the federation to chronic underfunding, which he said has constrained its expansion and outreach programmes. Vanguard News