ISI Wants Tinubu To Redesign Structure For Sports Rewards – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

The International Sports Institute (ISI), a body of intellectuals and seasoned sports administrators, and experiential professionals, at its first-of-a-kind virtual colloquium on Saturday, August 23, 2025, called on the federal government to redesign the structure for rewards of sports excellence in Nigeria.

The Colloquium praised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to hand out the title of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), alongside a $100,000 cash reward and a three-bedroom apartment to each of the 24 players (with $50,000 for each technical team member)—following the Super Falcons’ dramatic Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and a similar package for the all-conquering women’s basketball team – D’Tigress.

With the theme of the colloquium tagged: ‘Reward and Sports Excellence- Rationality, Desirability and Sustainability’, ISI wants the FG to ensure reward systems are consistent, standardized, and not short-lived promises or politically motivated gestures.

Also, The ISI Colloquium not only address the rationale for rewarding athletes, but also the desirability: what kinds of rewards are most valuable and impactful to athletes and stakeholders.

The Colloquium concluded with a six-point action plan to provide an immediate pathway for institutionalizing Nigeria’s Sports Reward systems.

The Colloquium appreciates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for upscaling the bar of Reward for Sports Excellence in Nigeria while also commending the timeousness of the Reward by the President.

It was advised that Reward for Sports Excellence should be guided by Professionals within the ambit of Sports Gerontology principles and Practices.

Though there are a few exceptions, the Colloquium noted the uniqueness of the life span of a typical Elite Athlete, performance age of circa 10 years or 35-40 years chronological age, and recommended that an Athlete’s contributory Pension Scheme be established while a professionally managed Athletes Welfare Network (AWN) is recommended for establishment as well as educating the Elite Athletes on how to secure their future while in active participation by acquiring skills and training in Institutions.