The National Sports Commission (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to taking sporting infrastructure closer to Nigerians, with Director-General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, disclosing that the Commission is shifting greater attention towards neighbourhood and community-based sports facilities.

Olopade said the Federal Government’s sports development strategy is designed to create opportunities for young Nigerians to access functional sporting facilities within their communities, while supporting State Governments in the construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of sports infrastructure.

“We’re building neighbourhood facilities and supporting State Governments all across the country that are building and revamping sports infrastructures. We must create opportunities for communities to have access to these facilities,” Olopade said.

According to the NSC Director-General, bringing sports facilities closer to communities is essential to expanding participation and creating an effective pathway for identifying and nurturing young talents.

He explained that the objective is to develop a sustainable sports ecosystem in which aspiring athletes can begin their journeys at the grassroots, access appropriate facilities and coaching, and progress towards elite competition.

Olopade stressed that sports development should not be concentrated around major national stadiums and elite competitions, noting that community infrastructure is equally important to the long-term growth of Nigerian sports.

He said the approach would also provide more young Nigerians with opportunities to participate in sporting activities without having to travel long distances in search of functional facilities.

The NSC boss also recounted the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the welfare and inclusion of women across Nigerian sports.

Olopade disclosed that plans were underway to improve the remuneration of the Super Falcons, saying details of the proposed improvement would be announced in due course.

“We have plans we’re putting in place for improved pay for the Super Falcons which will be announced soon,” he said.

He also pointed to the increasing participation of women in sports administration, citing the Nigeria Netball Federation as an example of growing female representation in the leadership of sports organisations.

“Our netball federation has a female president and nine of our 13 board members are women. The sport is making history in Nigeria and we’ll give them all the support they need,” Olopade stated.

Nigeria’s netball team is currently participating at the Africa Netball Cup and the Netball 2027 World Cup qualifiers in Nairobi, Kenya, providing the country with another opportunity to strengthen its presence in international sports.

Olopade also reiterated the Federal Government’s support for D’Tigress following their recent continental success, disclosing that President Bola Tinubu had redeemed the nation’s $100,000 pledge to each member of the team.

“Even in basketball, we’ve reassured D’Tigress that they have our full support. President Bola Tinubu has redeemed the nation’s $100,000 promise to each player and we believe they’d continue to rule Africa, as we remain committed to our women’s teams in every sport,” he said.

The NSC Director-General further urged Nigerians to focus on the progress being recorded in the sports sector while drawing lessons from previous challenges.

“Look, I’m a pathological optimist. I refuse to dwell on the failures of the past. And if I should stop dwelling on the failure of the past, you cannot judge today’s trajectories on the past failures,” he said.

Olopade maintained that the Commission’s broader vision is to build a sports system that extends beyond elite athletes and major competitions to communities where young Nigerians require facilities, opportunities and support to begin and sustain their sporting careers.

The emphasis on neighbourhood facilities is expected to complement the Federal Government’s wider programme of rehabilitating existing sports infrastructure while developing new facilities across the country.

The strategy for the NSC is aimed at creating a stronger connection between grassroots participation and elite sports, ensuring that talented young Nigerians have a clearer pathway from community-level participation to national and international competition.