The President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Isaiah Benjamin, has called for a fundamental overhaul of the country’s sports development system, urging authorities to build structures that can produce lasting excellence beyond individual administrations.
Benjamin made the call in his message marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, conveyed by SWAN Secretary-General Ikenna Okonkwo and made available in Abuja.
While congratulating Nigerians on the anniversary, the SWAN president urged the Federal Government, state governments, sports federations, private investors and other stakeholders to view sports as more than entertainment.
He said a properly structured sports sector could become a powerful tool for youth development, national unity, job creation and economic growth.
Nigeria Needs Sports Structures That Outlive Governments
Benjamin said Nigeria has no shortage of sporting talent but lacks the sustainable systems required to consistently identify, develop and retain athletes capable of competing at the highest level.
He argued that sporting development should not depend on the priorities of whichever administration or individual happens to be in office.
“As Nigeria celebrates 66 years of independence, we must begin to think beyond individual administrations and personalities,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria needs “good and sustainable structures” capable of surviving changes in leadership and delivering continuous development across sporting disciplines.
“Our sporting development must be institutionalised, not dependent on who occupies an office at a particular time,” Benjamin added.
The call reflects a longstanding concern about continuity in sports administration, where changes in leadership can often result in shifts in priorities, programmes and funding.
A more institutional approach, Benjamin suggested, would allow successful development programmes to continue regardless of political or administrative changes.
Grassroots Development Must Become a Priority
The SWAN president also called for stronger investment in grassroots sports, particularly through schools and local communities.
He said Nigeria needs clear systems for identifying promising young athletes, developing their abilities and creating pathways that allow them to progress from grassroots competition into elite and professional sports.
Schools, communities and local competitions, he argued, should play a more important role in identifying the country’s next generation of athletes.
This would require more than simply organising occasional competitions.
Benjamin called for better sporting facilities, improved coaching programmes, stronger athlete welfare systems and regular competitions capable of giving young athletes meaningful opportunities to develop.
He also advocated stronger technical structures within sports federations to ensure that talent development is based on proper planning and expertise.
Sports Can Create Jobs and Economic Opportunities
Beyond medals and international recognition, Benjamin said sports could provide young Nigerians with practical economic opportunities.
A stronger sports ecosystem could create jobs in areas such as coaching, administration, sports media, event management, fitness, sports science and athlete representation.
It could also open opportunities for entrepreneurship and international exposure.
For a country with a large and youthful population, the SWAN president argued that sports should be incorporated more deliberately into broader youth-development strategies.
He urged policymakers to recognise the ability of sports to engage young people productively while providing opportunities for education, employment and professional development.
Government and Private Sector Must Work Together
Benjamin also stressed the importance of stronger cooperation between government and the private sector.
Public funding alone, he suggested, is unlikely to provide the resources required to develop sporting facilities, organise regular competitions and build modern athlete-development systems across the country.
Greater private-sector participation could help provide funding, infrastructure, sponsorship and professional expertise.
Businesses could also benefit from a stronger sports industry through sponsorship opportunities, brand visibility and the development of commercially viable sporting properties.
Benjamin therefore called on governments and private investors to work together to create a sustainable financing model for Nigerian sports.
Athletes Must Remain at the Centre
The SWAN president said any long-term sports development strategy must ultimately be built around athletes.
He called for a framework that would provide continuity from grassroots participation through elite competition, ensuring that talented athletes do not fall out of the system because of inadequate facilities, limited competition or poor welfare.
Coaches, administrators, sports federations and other professionals would also need to be integrated into the development structure.
Broad-based engagement, he said, should include athletes, coaches, administrators, government agencies, private-sector organisations, the media and former athletes.
Such collaboration could help ensure that policy decisions reflect the realities faced by athletes and other participants across the sporting ecosystem.
SWAN Reaffirms Role of Sports Journalism
Benjamin also highlighted the role of sports journalists in developing Nigerian sports.
He reaffirmed SWAN’s commitment to professional and responsible sports journalism, saying reporters and sports writers should be viewed as stakeholders rather than observers.
“As sports writers, we are not only reporters of events, we are stakeholders in the development of Nigerian sports,” he said.
He pledged that SWAN would continue to use its platforms to promote accountability, celebrate sporting achievements and encourage discussions about reforms needed to improve the sector.
Sports journalism, he suggested, has a role to play in ensuring that sports administrators and institutions are held accountable while also giving visibility to athletes and emerging talent.
A Call for a National Sports Development Framework
At the centre of Benjamin’s message is the need for Nigeria to develop a long-term national sports development framework.
Such a framework would provide clearer direction for talent identification, coaching, infrastructure, competitions, athlete welfare and professional development.
It would also help create continuity between grassroots and elite sports while reducing the dependence of sporting programmes on individual officeholders.
For Nigeria to consistently produce athletes capable of competing at the highest international level, Benjamin believes the country must move away from short-term approaches and build institutions that can deliver results over decades.
Sports as a Tool for National Unity
Benjamin also emphasised the role sports can play in strengthening national unity.
Major sporting events have historically brought Nigerians together across ethnic, religious and regional lines, creating moments of shared national identity.
He argued that this potential should be deliberately harnessed as part of Nigeria’s broader development strategy.
Sport can create common ground among young people while giving Nigerians opportunities to celebrate achievements on the international stage.
It can also strengthen Nigeria’s global image when athletes and teams perform successfully at major competitions.
The Road to Sustainable Sporting Excellence
As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, Benjamin’s message places sports within a much wider national-development conversation.
The country possesses a large pool of young people and significant sporting talent, but converting that potential into sustained international success requires stronger institutions, better infrastructure and long-term planning.
Grassroots programmes need clear pathways into professional sport.
Athletes need better welfare and competitive opportunities.
Coaches and administrators require stronger technical development.
Sports federations need effective governance and continuity.
And the private sector needs greater incentives to invest in the industry.
Benjamin’s central argument is that Nigeria cannot build a world-class sports system around individuals or temporary initiatives.
It must build structures that survive changes in government, leadership and political priorities.
As he wished Nigerians a peaceful 66th Independence Anniversary, the SWAN president urged citizens and stakeholders to support initiatives that promote unity, youth empowerment and national development through sports.
For Nigeria’s sporting future, the challenge is no longer simply finding talented athletes. It is building a system capable of ensuring that talent is identified, developed, protected and given the opportunity to succeed for generations to come.
Source: NAN
