Nigeria Olympic Committee lauds President Bola Tinubu as “visionary” after record sports surge

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye 

The President of the Nigeria Olympics Committee, (NOC), Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel, has some thoughtful words and commendation for the number one sports leader in Nigeria, President Tinubu for what he described as a rapid and “transformative” turnaround in Nigerian sport.

The endorsement made public by the committee’s spokesman, Tony Nezianya, credits timely funding and a sharper administrative focus for recent gains. 

“On behalf of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, I wish to express our profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his proactive approach to sports development,” Gumel said.

He noted that released funds “have been a game-changer, enabling milestones previously thought impossible.” The statement frames the effort as more than medal-counting but a deliberate push to unlock sports’ socio-economic value. 

Gumel singled out the National Sports Commission for particular praise, calling the appointments of Mallam Shehu Dikko and Honourable Chief Bukola Olopade “masterstrokes” that have steadied the sector and driven faster reform at the heart of sport administration. 

National Sports Commission’s leadership, he added, articulated a clear plan during recent budget hearings that impressed lawmakers and stakeholders.

The proof, the NOC said, is already visible: the commission’s leadership delivered a confident performance in budget defence before the country’s parliamentary sports committees, showcasing concrete proposals for talent development, infrastructure and private-sector partnerships.

Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Sports praised the NSC team’s preparedness and vision during those sessions. 

And the numbers, the committee argued, speak to a broader strategy: within a short period the administration’s approach has helped generate what the NOC describes as a surge in international success and investment, including 373 medals across international events, ₦50 billion in private investment and the creation of more than 140,000 jobs.

By combining prompt funding with structural reforms, the committee says Nigeria is building a sustainable sports economy that now contributes meaningfully to national growth. 

The Nigeria Olympic Committee closed by reaffirming its commitment to partner with the National Sports Commission and other stakeholders to sustain the momentum ahead of major international competitions, arguing that last year’s seeming impossibilities are now the starting point for even greater ambitions.