The Federal Government has unveiled a new initiative that will establish eight Sports and Education Centres of Excellence across selected tertiary institutions as part of efforts to retain Nigeria’s sporting talents, create jobs, improve security and position sports as a major contributor to economic growth.
The initiative, known as the National Sports and Education Excellence Programme was unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, alongside the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko.
The programme is a joint initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, the programme is designed to integrate quality education with elite sports development by establishing specialised Sports and Education Centres of Excellence in selected tertiary institutions.
The first phase will commence this year at the University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Federal College of Education, Okene and Babcock University, while additional centres will be rolled out in subsequent phases.
