NIS DG seeks private sector Collaboration to enhance grassroots sports development

By Amaechi Agbo

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), H.E. Comrade Philip Shaibu, has reiterated his commitment to repositioning the institute through strategic private-sector partnerships aimed at transforming sports development, fitness education, and athlete performance in Nigeria.
Shaibu made this known while receiving the Managing Director of Bodyline and Gymnastics Limited, Mr. Bankole Opashi, and his team on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, the NIS boss said the institute is undergoing a major reform process designed to restore its relevance as a leading sports research and training institution in the country.
According to him, the institute is determined to do things differently in order to achieve maximum results in sports and fitness development.
“We at the NIS are trying to do things differently to achieve maximum results as far as fitness and sports are concerned. NIS is a research-based and training institute. The institute has done all these over the years, but we are back now with a new focus and reformation agenda,” Shaibu said.
He identified trust deficit and poor management of previous initiatives as major challenges that had hindered the growth of the institute, noting that private-sector participation remains crucial to sustainable development in the sports sector.
The immediate past Edo State Deputy Governor emphasized that effective leadership and service delivery are essential for the success of any institution, warning that poorly managed systems could collapse within a few years.
Shaibu disclosed that the institute is working with urgency, but with careful planning, to restore Nigeria’s competitiveness in international sports.
“We are in a hurry, but we are doing things carefully to bring the institute back to life and to a level where Nigeria will no longer be celebrating bronze medals but gold medals in international competitions,” he said.
In a light-hearted remark, Shaibu referenced the success of foreign clubs in identifying and nurturing talented Nigerian players.
“I don’t like Arsenal today, because they took players who are legitimate Nigerians without advising them to play for the Nigerian national team, and they are scoring goals and excelling with the English club and national team. That is just on a lighter note,” he joked.

The NIS Director-General further stressed the need for sports institutions to become less dependent on government funding and more attractive to private-sector investment.

“NIS should not be government-driven; we want it to be private-sector-driven because if we wait for government alone, NIS may not move and sports generally may not move. Governments have different priorities, and available resources determine allocations,” he explained.

According to him, the government’s primary responsibility should be to create an enabling environment through the provision of sports infrastructure, while private investors drive innovation, development, and sustainability.

Shaibu assured potential investors that any partnership entered into with the institute would be protected through policies that ensure continuity beyond the tenure of any individual administrator.

Earlier, the Managing Director of Bodyline and Gymnastics Limited, Mr. Bankole Opashi, commended the reform efforts at NIS and proposed the establishment of a comprehensive fitness training and certification programme to complement the institute’s academic offerings.

According to him, having a gym facility alone is not sufficient in today’s fitness industry, stressing the need for professional certification and capacity development for fitness instructors and trainers.

“You are already a training institute, but having just a gym is not enough. We want to start offering certification for fitness training. What is needed is a gym and fitness training institute,” Opashi said.

He explained that the proposed programme would focus on practical knowledge and competence, ensuring that trainers understand modern fitness equipment and international best practices.

Opashi also disclosed that his organization could facilitate sponsorship opportunities for the development of fitness centres at the Abuja Athletes Development Centre, the Lagos Centre, and potentially across the institute’s zonal centres nationwide.

The visit also providye the growing drive by the National Institute for Sports to leverage public-private partnerships in repositioning sports education, research, fitness training, and athlete development across Nigeria.