By Ijeoma Nwankpa, Abuja , Nigeria.
The Chairman, National Sports Commission, Malam Shehu Dikko, says the Sports economy mandate of President Bola Tinubu requires continuos engagements with critical stakeholders.
He stated this when the foremost Sports marketer and CEO Pamodzi Sports Marketing Ltd. Chief Mike Itemuagbor, visited him in Abuja.
According to him, the visit provided them the opportunity to discuss ways of moving the sporting sector from consumption to production.
The discussion between the duo basically centered around advancing private sector participation and investment in Sports.
“The National Sports Commission is committed to harnessing the opportunities inherent in the sector and creating value chains across the industry. Gone are the days when the nation’s sporting facilities would lie idle during the weekends. The sports weekend economy should encourage people to build sports into their relaxation programs for the weekends”, Dikko noted .
He maintained that increased sporting activities would create more jobs and the target of the sector’s contributing 3% to the nation’s GDP will become more realistic. Stressing that all these will not be possible without the private sector involvement hence this meeting with Chief Itemuagbor where issues of mutual interest were on the front burner.
Chief Itemuagbor, who is also a former member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) marketing committee, has successfully marketed several local, international and global sporting events and programmes. He has been involved in the marketing of major championships and games staged in Nigeria like the African Youth Championship Nigeria 1995, FIFA U-20 World Cup Nigeria 1999, Africa Cup of Nations Ghana/Nigeria 2000, 8th All-Africa Games Nigeria 2003 and FIFA U-17 World Cup, Nigeria 2009.
