As part of plans of the new Director General/ Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute For Sports , Comrade Philip Shaibu to reposition the institute, an advisory committee made up of eminent Nigerians was Monday, July, 21, 2025 inaugurated in the conference hall of the school.
Inaugurating the committee which has Engr. Musa Kida as chairman, the Director General charged them to come up with innovative ideas that will help in repositioning the only school saddled with the production of coaches and sports managers in the country.
According to him the members of the committee who cut across administrators, academia, media, military and corporate Nigeria were carefully selected because of their vast knowledge in sports administration and management, expressing hope that they will deliver on their mandate.
” When I resumed office at the NIS, I discovered that a lot of things were wrong in the institute and it’s graduates cannot conveniently present their certificates to employers of labour and that was why, I came up with the new 4RS; revitalize, rebuild, rebrand and relaunch which gave birth to this committee.
” My vision is to have an institute which will be a centre of excellence and which it’s academic curriculum will be in tune with similar institutions anywhere in the world and it’s certificate enable it’s products work anywhere in the world and it is expected that this committee will help us to redefine how the NIS will move forward.
Shaibu while presenting his master plan, announced that very soon all the work in the institute will be digitalized with examinations being computer based and results released few minutes after examinations just as he announced that his vision is to ensure that in no distant time, FIFA, CAF and FIBA courses will be introduced in the school
On infrastructural development, he stated that a structural design of a new 6 storey administrative block has been produced while all the buildings and facilities will soon get a facelift just as he lamented that a school that was set up in 1974, is still crawling, declaring that he’s out to change the narratives.
In his opening speech, Chairman of National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko expressed happiness with the initiative positing that the Commission is working hard to ensure that subvention to the school is increased even as he stated that there’s plan to upscale NIS to align with FIFA and CAF programmes.
” I’m highly excited with the bold initiative taken by the Director General which aligns with our vision to transform NIS to a world class institution and am looking forward to the institute having executive courses and when a decision will be taken in future that no coach will handle a club side in the country without an NIS certificate.
Dikko used the opportunity to dismiss insinuations in some quarters that NIS as a research institution, that it’s Director General is supposed to come from the academia, explaining that the act establishing the school stated clearly that the DG must not be from the academia but an administrator.
Speaking on behalf of other members of the committee, it’s chairman, Engr Musa Kida promised that the members will discharge their duty efficiently even as he thanked the Director General for finding them worthy to be part of the transformation process that will be witnessed in the school.
Kida who also doubles as board chairman of NNPC as well as President of Nigeria Basketball Federation, noted that there is need for the NIS to have centres in every part of the country as is done in European countries and the United States.
In his goodwill message, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chris Musa who was represented by Rear Admiral Hamzat Ibrahim while congratulating members of the committee, promised that the Armed Forces will not only continue to promote sports but will partner with NIS to achieve it’s mandate of producing quality coaches for the country
” Sports is very important to the Armed Forces and the country’s military have produced many great sports men and women for the county.
In the military there’s a common believe that sports can be used to engage the youths meaningfully as well as channel their energies positively thereby reducing crime and other social vices in the society.
“The Chief of Defence Staff, since assumption of office, has sponsored basketball championships on Democracy Day last year and this year and plans are on the pipeline to sponsor another one during this year’s Independence anniversary celebration.
“As a person who is passionate about sports, the Chief of Defence Staff has promised that the Armed Forces will collaborate with NIS management in repositioning the institute because sports teaches team work, discipline, tolerance and national integration “, he stated.
Some members of the committee are; Mike Itemuagbor, Nigeria’s foremost sports marketer and CEO of Padmozi Sports International, the visionary behind the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race, the first World Athletics label road race in West Africa.
Also included is Professor Ken Anugweje, a respected professor of sports science and former President of NUGA who is a leading voice in sports medicine and athlete welfare and Dr. Kweku Tandoh, a former Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission known for his strategic reforms and grassroots development initiatives.
Some former Nigeria internationals who made the list includes; Mary Onyali, a five-time Olympian and two-time Olympic medalist Yusuf Ali, a former African long jump champion and Olympian who now serves as CEO of the NSC’s Elite Athletes Development Board as well as Coach Austin Eguavoen, a former Super Eagles head coach chairman technical committee of NFF
Also in the committee are; Dr. Alex Mana, a retired international referee and respected sports administrator, Prof. Florence Adeyanju, Prof. Clement Fasan, Prof. Raimi Moronfolu, and Prof. Sadiq Abdulahi, as well as media professionals such as Andrew Abbah (representing SWAN) and veteran journalist, Godwin Enakhena.
Meanwhile, the Director General of NIS has announced that there will be no admission of students in the next academic session to enable him put modalities on ground for proper reorganisation of the institute.
