Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), National Sports Commission (NSC) and the national sports federations yesterday deliberated in Abuja on Nigeria’s participation in major sporting activities, including Los Angeles 2028, the Islamic Games in Riyadh in November 2025, the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar in November 2026 and the School Games in Algeria. The parley had in attendance the Chairman NSC, Shehu Dikko, the President NOC, Habu Gumel, the DG NSC, Bukola Olopade and the chairmen of sports federations. Gumel told reporters after the meeting that they discussed how Nigeria would excel in the upcoming games, including how to raise funds from government and the private sector to enable Nigeria feature in the qualifications, the games proper and make the country proud. “I’m so glad that it’s a joint meeting between the Nigerian Olympic Committee, all the national federations, Olympic sports and the chairman and the DG of the National Sports Commission. We we rubbed minds on issues of mutual understanding, because we have to collaborate with one another and to work together in the interest of our country. And I’m happy that a lot of the national federations asked questions, clarified issues and gave advice. The chairman and the DG of the NSC were able to answer all the questions to the happiness of everybody. “So far, so good, it’s was a very important meeting,” observed Gumel. He added that after the meeting, the stakeholders visited the NOC secretariat new site in Abuja for assessment of the progress of work and for NSC to also cue in into the project. In his remark, the NSC Chairman, Dikko, said the meeting focused on how the critical stakeholders could all collaborate on issues within sports and to work together to make the sector better in the country. He charged the sports federations as the operational officers, to align into the vision and take ownership of the mandate which President Bola Tinubu has given to the NSC. “Because everybody needs to own that vision, that mandate to create a sports economy in Nigeria and see what we can do together. So that’s basically the charge. They have to keep working as one team, they have to keep driving forward together and then success is guaranteed at the end of the day,” Dikko said. He also elaborated on the claims that some of the sports federations were not happy with their policies. Dikko said that though that was partly discussed but there would be further discussions at the next meeting where the sports federations come up with a resolution to the NSC for the next line of action.