The National Sports Commission (NSC) has called for stronger collaboration with four Federal Government-owned media organisations to promote sports development and expand the sector’s economic opportunities.
The NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja when he received heads of sports and editors from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Voice of Nigeria (VON) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) during a familiarisation visit.
Dikko said the commission was committed to building productive partnerships with the media organisations to improve sports coverage, promote government initiatives and attract private-sector investment into the industry.
He said effective media collaboration was essential to showcasing the commission’s achievements and repositioning sports as a contributor to national economic growth.
The chairman disclosed that the commission was exploring plans to establish a dedicated sports television channel to provide comprehensive coverage of Nigerian sports and increase the visibility of athletes and competitions locally and internationally.
According to him, the proposed channel could generate revenue through subscriptions, advertising and other commercial arrangements while giving less prominent sporting disciplines greater exposure.
He said the commission was exploring partnerships with broadcasters and other stakeholders to develop a sustainable model for the initiative.
Dikko urged the media organisations to work with the commission on content development and promotional strategies that would attract audiences, sponsors and investors to Nigerian sports.
He said the NSC was also committed to working with sports federations, schools and grassroots organisations to identify and nurture talents capable of competing internationally.
He described grassroots sports development as central to expanding opportunities for young Nigerians and strengthening the country’s representation across various sporting disciplines.
Dikko added that the media had a critical role in promoting emerging talents and highlighting the wider benefits of sports, including job creation in broadcasting, journalism, event management, tourism and hospitality.
He also emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships in developing sports infrastructure, attracting sponsorship and ensuring that facilities generated sustainable revenue.
The chairman said the commission was pursuing initiatives to improve stadium facilities and transform them into multipurpose centres capable of hosting sporting competitions, conferences and other events.
He expressed confidence that sustained cooperation between the commission and the media organisations would help position sports as a viable economic sector.
Dikko reiterated the NSC’s readiness to engage the media organisations regularly, share information about its programmes and pursue joint promotional initiatives to strengthen the sports industry and increase its contribution to the national economy.
