WorldStage– The National Institute for Sports (NIS) has called for strategic collaboration with the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to strengthen sports education and develop a skilled workforce within Nigeria’s sports ecosystem.
The Director-General of NIS, Philip Shaibu, made the call during a visit to the NELFUND headquarters, highlighting the critical role the fund can play in supporting aspiring coaches and sports professionals.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Ben Ogbemudia, Shaibu reiterated that the institute’s core mandate is to train sports personnel and drive capacity development in the sector.
“We are here to partner with NELFUND. They have a key role in developing coaches and building the workforce needed in the sports sector.
“NIS once trained coaches from across Africa who came to learn sports administration and coaching, unfortunately, the institute suffered years of neglect and mismanagement.
“However, President Bola Tinubu, in a bid to revitalise the institute, has restored life to NIS, the engine room of sports development in Nigeria.
“What was missing was vitality, and that has now been restored,” Shaibu said.
He noted that the current administration is focused on returning the institute to its original vision while aligning it with modern global standards.
Shaibu added that several African countries are now adopting similar sports development models conceptualised by Nigeria over five decades ago.
“Our institute was originally modelled after leading institutions in Australia and Germany. The structures remain solid, but they lacked vitality.
“It felt like stepping into the unknown, but we had to chart a new path.
“That new path led to the development of a 10-year strategic plan to guide the institute’s mission and vision.
“The strategic plan was developed through extensive consultations with past and present NIS management, stakeholders, and private sector contributors, with a committee established to refine it into an actionable roadmap,” he said.
Highlighting achievements so far, Shaibu cited the decentralisation of the institute across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, improved operational structures, and growing partnerships with state governments and private organisations.
He also acknowledged challenges faced by students, particularly in meeting tuition obligations, noting that the institute currently allows installment payments as a temporary relief measure.
“Some of our students have requested to pay their fees in installments, and I approved it.
“However, this is why collaboration with NELFUND is essential, as there is already a framework designed by the Federal Government to support such needs,” he added.
Responding, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, commended Shaibu’s leadership and expressed confidence in his ability to reposition the institute.
“I know for sure that the journey that has brought you here was not easy.
”You rose from being a student leader to become a legislator in the House of Assembly, the House of Representatives, and as a two-term Deputy Governor of Edo State.
“These are significant achievements. However, we must do all we can to take young people off the streets and engage them productively through sports.
“NELFUND is ready to support the institute through strategic partnership and access to educational loans, similar to its support for other sectors.
“I am excited about this visit and look forward to a fruitful collaboration,” Sawyerr added.
