Federal Government fully supports ANOCA, says NSC Chairman
By Olaolu Joseph
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its full support for the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), with a strong commitment to sustaining the organization’s operations and headquarters in Abuja.
Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, gave this assurance on Monday while declaring open, via virtual address, the ANOCA Executive Committee meeting held in Abuja.
Dikko congratulated the newly elected ANOCA Executive Committee members, including Nigeria’s Engineer Habu Gumel, who was elected Treasurer during the March 2025 ANOCA Congress in Algiers, Algeria. He commended ANOCA for its work in promoting the Olympic Charter across Africa and pledged continued Nigerian support.
“The continued stay of ANOCA headquarters in Abuja has the full backing of the Federal Government,” Dikko said. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully committed to providing all necessary support to ensure your smooth operations and long-term presence in Nigeria.”
The NSC chairman also highlighted the ongoing reforms in the Nigerian sports sector under the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigerian Sports Economy (RHINSE). The initiative, he explained, focuses on three pillars—Reset, Refocus, and Relaunch—to shift emphasis from international participation to domestic sports development.
“We are doing things differently now, prioritizing the domestic sports ecosystem to unlock its full economic potential. Sports will become a key driver of socio-economic development in Nigeria,” he said.
Dikko called on ANOCA to support Nigeria’s bid to host more international competitions across various disciplines. He emphasized that the government is investing in the upgrade of sports infrastructure nationwide.
“I am currently engaging strategic international partners to help refurbish and modernize our facilities. Our goal is to host as many global tournaments as possible, keeping our venues active and building a strong foundation for local sports development,” he added.
