President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel, has commended the success of the NOC/Olympic Solidarity Seminar on Good Governance for sports federations, promising continued capacity-building initiatives for administrators across the country.

Gumel spoke during the two-day seminar in Abuja, organised with the support of the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity programme to strengthen governance, leadership and administrative capacity within Nigerian sports federations. 

He described the seminar as an important platform for federation presidents to acquire additional knowledge, exchange ideas and examine ways of improving the administration of their respective sports.

According to Gumel, the knowledge gained from the programme should not remain within the seminar venue but should be taken back to individual federations, discussed at board level and translated into practical improvements.

“Good governance has a lot of meaning. It has a lot of things to do with accountability and making progress for your national federation,” Gumel said. 

The NOC president said the latest programme was part of a broader capacity-building agenda, noting that the committee had organised similar seminars in previous years focusing on areas such as women in sports and sports medicine.

He assured sports administrators that the governance seminar would not be an isolated intervention, indicating that additional capacity-building programmes would follow as part of the NOC’s continuing work with national federations. 

Gumel also stressed the importance of placing athletes at the centre of sports administration, particularly as Nigeria prepares for a busy calendar of international competitions.

He urged federation leaders to use the knowledge gained from the programme to strengthen athlete preparation, improve welfare and create better systems for identifying and developing talent.

The seminar brought together presidents and senior representatives of Nigerian sports federations for discussions on governance, accountability, leadership, financial management, institutional development and sports administration. 

Gumel said stronger collaboration between the NOC, the National Sports Commission and national federations would be critical to ensuring that Nigerian athletes receive the support required to compete effectively at international level.

The programme also featured international expertise, with Dr Ronald Rukare, President of Commonwealth Sport and a MEMOS instructor in governance and sports management, serving as a key resource person. 

National Sports Commission Director-General Bukola Olopade, who also addressed participants, emphasised accountability and athlete welfare while urging federation presidents to familiarise themselves with the legal framework governing sports administration in Nigeria. 

The NOC said the seminar reflects its commitment to strengthening institutional structures within Nigerian sports and equipping administrators with the skills required to manage federations transparently and effectively.

Gumel reiterated that the ultimate objective of such programmes is to ensure that better administration translates into improved preparation and opportunities for Nigerian athletes representing the country on the international stage.