It is a new dawn for Nigerian sports new helmsmen have been elected and sworn in to pilot the affairs of Sports Federations for the next four years.
On Saturday, October 25, 2025 the National Sports Commission (NSC) inaugurated the newly elected boards of various sports federations, marking a fresh start in the nation’s sports administration.
The inauguration followed what many described as a free, fair, and transparent election process across the different federations.
Inaugurating the boards the Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, charged the new presidents and board members to formulate their individual constitutions within six months to ensure effective governance and sustainable sports development.
Among the federations inaugurated were Wrestling, Cricket, Hockey, Tennis, Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Traditional Sports, and Handball, among others.
Olopade expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the elections, commending stakeholders for their maturity and cooperation.
He noted that credible, competent, and visionary individuals have emerged to lead the new boards, which he described as a major boost for the sports sector.
The NSC DG cited the election of notable figures such as the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as President of the Wrestling Federation; Adebayo Olawale, as President of the Boxing Federation; and former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei, as President of the Tennis Federation, as clear indications of the government’s renewed commitment to professionalism and accountability in sports administration.
HE said “We are pleased with the quality of leadership that has emerged from these elections. These are individuals with proven track records who can drive reform, attract private investment, and deliver results,”.
Olopade added that the Commission was adopting a new model of sports governance built on corporate principles, performance-based management, and strong private sector involvement.
According to him, the NSC will hold all federations accountable for their promises and ensure they mobilize private funding to complement government efforts.
Olopade also highlighted examples of federations already benefiting from private sector partnerships, such as the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, which recently secured a ₦500 million sponsorship deal from a betting company.
He emhazised “Our goal is to make sports in Nigeria self-sustaining through strong partnerships and responsible leadership,”.
He assured stakeholders that the Commission remains committed to transparency, fairness, and due process in addressing any electoral disputes or unresolved issues.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the 2025 Sports Federations Electoral Committee, Dr. Simon Ebohjaye, described the elections as smooth, credible, and well-organized, noting that only the Kickboxing Federation’s election was postponed for a later date due to minor issues.
Ehbojaye“We’ve had national and zonal elections for our sports federations, and the process has been very orderly. This exercise will usher in credible leadership that will strengthen our national federations and advance sports development across the country,” .
With the inauguration of the new boards, stakeholders and sports enthusiasts alike are optimistic that this marks the beginning of a new era of growth, professionalism, and innovation for Nigerian sports.
