Joel Ajayi
The National Sports Commission (NSC) is considering the inclusion of foreign-based Nigerian athletes in subsequent editions of the National Sports Festival (NSF), in a bid to raise the standard and showcase the country’s full athletic potential.
Chairman of the Commission, Shehu Dikko, disclosed this on Sunday in Abeokuta while addressing journalists covering the ongoing 22nd edition of the biennial sports fiesta.
According to Dikko, the primary goal of the festival goes beyond just winning medals—it is about creating a platform to discover and showcase Nigeria’s top sporting talents.
“Looking ahead, we’re considering inviting our best athletes, including those in the diaspora, for future festivals,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s not just about winning; it’s about giving our talents the platform to shine.”
He added that the commission would use data from the festival to benchmark athlete performance against continental and global standards.
“When we assess results from this festival, we’ll compare them with African and world records to help set clear benchmarks,” Dikko said. “During the University Games trials at the University of Lagos, for instance, the final report featured three columns: the winner’s result, the African record, and the world record. That gave us useful perspective.”
He stressed that the origin of athletes should not be a barrier to participation, emphasizing that talent, commitment, and performance are the most important factors.
“It doesn’t matter where an athlete is based. What matters is what they bring to the table,” he noted. “With the right training, support, and publicity, they can excel and make the nation proud.”
Dikko also highlighted the unifying power of sports, stating that it remains one of the country’s most valuable national assets.
“Sports transcends its economic value—it unites us. It doesn’t matter where you’re from; once you’re involved, you’re part of the family,” he said.
He added that some states might have more athletes but limited resources to register in all events, which in turn creates healthy competition and encourages other states to raise their game.
“That’s the beauty of the system,” he concluded
