From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday officially flagged off the construction of a state-of-the-art Multi-Event Sports Centre at Kafe District, Abuja, marking a pivotal step towards boosting youth sports development and economic empowerment in the capital territory.
The project, seen as part of the President’s eight-point agenda to empower the youth, aims to inspire sporting excellence and provide world-class facilities to nurture homegrown talents.
In his address, Wike highlighted the importance of proper sports infrastructure in fostering talent and economic opportunity, drawing a parallel with Brazil’s successful export of soccer players as an economic model. “Sports is one of those things that’s kept many countries going. Brazil exports so many players to the world and they make a lot of money from it. You cannot do that if you have no facilities that will encourage and bring out the talents of our youth,” he said. He revealed his surprise at the prior absence of government facilities in the territory that could support sports development at high standards.
Wike outlined the holistic nature of the multi-sports centre, which will cater to basketball, volleyball, football, tennis, squash, table tennis, and other disciplines, all designed to meet international standards. He underscored the government’s partnership approach with private operators for the maintenance and operational sustainability of the facility, cautioning against government mismanagement that could compromise the project’s longevity. “Government will not run it. We’ll go into partnership with private individuals…the moment it goes to the hands of government, obviously give it two weeks, you will see that it will be getting to another thing and we don’t want that,” he stated.
Reassuring strict oversight, Minister Wike warned the contractor about the importance of timely completion and proper use of funds, urging them to finish the project by early June next year, coinciding with the President’s third year in office anniversary. “If you don’t do it well, that’s the end of your contract for you in FCT. I don’t joke with it. It’s not about saying we are trying to promote our own local content. Please, it’s an opportunity,” he remarked. The Minister further stressed discipline in fund management, advising against using the budget for personal matters, but strictly for project completion.
The Minister of State for FCT, Mariya Mahmoud expressed gratitude to Wike for his visionary and steadfast leadership, appreciating the contractors, engineers, and development partners for their expertise and contributions towards creating “possibilities” rather than just structures. She prayed that the completed sports centre would stand as a beacon of opportunity, unity, and excellence for generations to come.
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, elaborated on the vision underpinning the sports development agenda aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigerian Sports Economy. He highlighted the critical need to reset, refocus, and relaunch the nation’s sports ecosystem, emphasizing grassroots development as the cornerstone. “For many years, we have been more concerned about participating in international tournaments…participation in international sports is about consumption but developing international sports is about production,” he explained.
He applauded the FCT Minister’s commitment, noting that while others doubted the FCT’s sports development efforts, today’s flag-off proved the Minister’s strategy was sound.
NSC Chairman stressed that beyond entertainment, sports is a major economic driver capable of creating millions of jobs and uniting the nation. He also shared plans for additional sports centres in FCT and nationwide, reinforcing the importance of sustainable infrastructure supporting not just sports but economic activities like food courts to generate continual revenue.
Managing Director of Tagwe Tagwe Limited, the contractor on the project, Peter Otegwa, pledged dedication and professionalism, describing the construction as more than infrastructure but a symbol of unity, growth, and progress under Minister Wike’s dynamic leadership. He assured the use of cutting-edge techniques, quality materials, and prioritization of local employment and skills transfer to benefit the FCT community directly. The contractor expressed gratitude for the enabling environment created by the FCT Minister and committed to timely delivery of the world-class sports facility envisioned.
This multi-event sports centre is the first of two planned in Abuja, aimed at motivating youths in area councils and beyond by providing top-notch facilities for diverse sports. The project reflects a comprehensive government effort to utilize sports as a vehicle for youth engagement, talent discovery, employment opportunity, and national unity in line with President Tinubu’s administration goals.
