FG Unveils Sports, Education Prorgamme

The Federal Government has unveiled the National Sports and Education Excellence Programme (N-SEEP), a new initiative aimed at integrating quality education with elite sports development to produce world-class athletes, create employment opportunities, improve national security and position sports as a key driver of economic growth.

The programme, jointly developed by the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission (NSC) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, will establish Sports and Education Centres of Excellence across selected tertiary institutions nationwide.

Speaking during the unveiling in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the initiative as one of the most transformative reforms in Nigeria’s education sector.

“The future of sports lies not only in winning competitions, but in developing people. Through this initiative, we are producing athletes who will also become coaches, sports scientists, physiotherapists, administrators, entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators. We are investing in human capital that will continue to serve our nation long after competitive careers have ended,” Alausa said.

He noted that the programme would address the long-standing challenge of talented athletes having to choose between academic excellence and sporting success.

“For too long, many of our gifted athletes have sought opportunities abroad because we lacked a structured system that combines education with elite sports development. N-SEEP changes that narrative. We are building world-class institutions where Nigerian talents can learn, train and succeed at home while earning globally recognised qualifications,” he said.

According to the minister, the initiative will gradually integrate structured sports development into basic and senior secondary education, helping to expand opportunities for young Nigerians, promote discipline and teamwork, reduce youth involvement in crime and strengthen national unity.

He also stressed the economic benefits of the programme.

“He said the initiative would stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship and private sector investment, positioning sports as a significant contributor to national economic growth while creating thousands of employment opportunities for young Nigerians.”

Alausa further reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to reforms that strengthen education and human capital development.

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“The National Sports and Education Excellence Programme is more than a reform; it is a national investment in our future. We are building a system that will nurture talent, expand opportunities, strengthen our education sector, transform sports into an engine of economic growth, and produce responsible citizens who will contribute meaningfully to national development. Together, we will build a safer, stronger and more prosperous Nigeria through education and sports,” he said.

Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, described the programme as a landmark reform that would redefine the relationship between education and sports by allowing gifted athletes to pursue academic excellence alongside their sporting careers.

She called for flexible academic calendars, continuous assessment and adaptable examination schedules to accommodate elite athletes.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, described the initiative as a defining moment in Nigeria’s efforts to build a globally competitive sports industry.

He disclosed that the commission was strengthening sports infrastructure in educational institutions, expanding coach education through the National Institute for Sports and engaging international bodies, including FIFA and CAF, to secure global accreditation for sports-related academic programmes in Nigeria.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, said the programme would create a sustainable pipeline of coaches, sports scientists, researchers, technical officials and administrators needed to support a modern sports industry.

He urged stakeholders to move quickly from planning to implementation, noting that countries such as Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and China had built their sporting success on strong education systems integrated with athlete development.

The Federal Government announced that nine institutions had been selected to host the National Sports and Education Centres of Excellence. They are the University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Benin, University of Jos, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Muhammad Buhari University, Maiduguri, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Federal College of Education, Okene, and Babcock University.

The first phase of implementation will commence this year at the University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Federal College of Education, Okene and Babcock University, while the remaining institutions will be brought on stream in subsequent phases.

Each participating institution will establish a Faculty of Sports Science offering programmes in coaching, sports medicine and rehabilitation, sports science, research, sports technology and data analytics, sports business, facility management, event management and sports administration.

The Federal Government said the programme would create a structured pathway for identifying and nurturing sporting talents from schools through tertiary education while equipping them with internationally recognised academic qualifications and professional skills, reducing Nigeria’s dependence on foreign sports development systems.