By Arinze Izik

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Philip Shaibu, has set out a reform agenda anchored on transparency, discipline and institutional renewal, insisting Nigeria’s sports sector must break from a legacy of inefficiency and mismanagement.

Speaking in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Correspondents’ Chapel led by Felix Ojo, Shaibu said public officials entrusted with sports administration owe a duty to justify the confidence reposed in them by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. “We are here to rebuild, not to exploit. The era of taking from sports must give way to a culture of giving back,” he said.

The former Edo State deputy governor stressed that responsibility for success or failure lies with appointed administrators, not the presidency, naming figures including Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olapade, alongside himself and federation leaders, as accountable. “If the system fails, the blame should come to us,” he said, urging Nigerians to demand results from administrators rather than directing criticism at the president. He cited Ibrahim Gusau of the Nigeria Football Federation and Musa Kida of the basketball federation as examples of officials who must drive performance in their sports.

Shaibu commended the presidency and the National Assembly for funding support but said allocations must be matched with accountability, pledging that NIS will lead by example on financial discipline. He called for a more sustainable model that attracts private sector participation, drawing on his experience in Edo State where a facility-driven approach helped reduce reliance on public funds. He added that NIS is strengthening collaboration with state governments hosting its zonal centres and is fostering an inclusive internal culture that encourages staff contributions.

On media relations, Shaibu described journalists as essential watchdogs for transparency and democracy. “A society without a strong media risks losing its democratic foundation,” he said, assuring the NUJ of NIS’s readiness to collaborate to promote integrity and development in the sector.

He also reaffirmed his opposition to the use of stadiums for non-sporting events, insisting national sports facilities must be preserved strictly for athletics. “Stadiums are built for sports. Political rallies and religious programmes have no place on those pitches,” he said.

Responding, Ojo praised Shaibu’s commitment to transparency and reforms as timely for a sector in need of renewed direction, noting that the media will continue to report objectively, highlight progress, and hold administrators accountable.