Mr Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development has announced that the National Sports Industry Policy will accelerate sports development and add value to the country’s sportsmen and women.
Speaking while receiving the draft of the policy in Abuja, Dare described the development as a milestone with the capacity to change sports business in Nigeria.
“This policy no doubt is a new dawn that will drive the process of moving sports away from being recreational to business,” he said.
“I recall the opportunity I had during the 25th Nigerian Economic Summit, to chair its Sports Industry Business Roundtable Session. The session featured various speakers from all sectors emphasising the challenges in developing sports as a viable business sector capable of attracting investments and delivering returns to investors. This gave birth to setting up various groups to review our 2009 sports policy, which no doubt is now obsolete.
“However, the draft National Sports Industry Policy is a review of the 2009 and 2018 editions and the exercise is principally intended to update the norms and values in the sports industry in achieving the mandate, vision and mission of the Federal Ministry of Youth and sports Development in line with international best practices, most importantly to inject a business model into our sports development.
“It is important to note that this reviewed National Sports Industry Policy will proffer solutions to four key issues, infrastructure, investment, incentives and policy that will drive sports to the next level.”
The minister also commended the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Gabriel Aduda, Mr Ufot Udeme, the co-chairman of the policy drafting committee and other members for their valuable contributions towards its drafting.
The National Sports Industry Policy would be unveiled to the public and the National Council of Sports, before it would be officially presented to the Federal Executive Council for final approval.
Credit: punchng.com
