In furtherance of the sports economy mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the National Sports Commission has backed the hosting of the All Africa Challenge Trophy billed for IBB International Golf and Country Club in November 2026.
NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko gave this assurance while hosting a delegation of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN) facilitators of the hosting right.
Led by the President Dr. Lami Onayi Ahmed, LGAN solicited the support of the Commission in successfully hosting the continent. In her words, when they submitted their bidding documents in Agadir Morocco, it was like going into the bush looking for a ‘squirrel’, but when the rights were awarded to Nigeria, they had caught an ‘elephant’ instead. Therefore, they had come to seek support in dealing with this giant animal which was beyond their expectations.
Responding, Mallam Dikko assured the group of the Commission’s resolve to turn the country into a major global sporting hub by regularly hosting international tournaments.
His words, “What you have done by securing this hosting right aligns with the vision of the Commission under the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria Sports Economy (RHINSE) platform and the shared prosperity disposition of the President, who has mandated us to ensure the full potential of the sports economy is harnessed.
“To harness the sports economy, we have to host as many international tournaments as possible. The value chains of such a tournament are massive from the airport to the workers at the venue of the tournament. This is what we call sports economy, creating sports jobs and we want to contribute at least 3% to the nation’s GDP. Moreover, this tournament will be a big PR for the country. When we host such tournaments, we open Nigeria to the whole continent. We had over 12 international tournaments in 2025.”
He pledged the Commission’s support towards the hosting of the tournament.
“Our job here is to regulate. We create the enablers to ensure that every sport has the opportunity to develop. We have nothing like big or small sports here. Be assured that we will give you the necessary support because you are showcasing the country to the world. Our team will engage you further and ensure that we come up with the appropriate committee to make this a success”, he added.
While commending the group for their efforts towards the development of female golfers, the NSC Chairman applauded Nigeria’s female athletes for doing the nation proud over the years.
At least 30 African countries have indicated interest in the tournament which is a platform for the amateur golfers in the continent to get exposure and be assessed by the international body.
Signed
Dr (Mrs) Kehinde Ajayi FCAI,ANIPR
Director Information & PR
NSC
5/2/26
