Nigeria Sports Arena

On Thursday, 23rd September, the Honourable Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, will deliver a keynote address at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Side Event on Social Business, Youth and Technology. The address, which will be delivered virtually, will focus on "Social Business Towards a Sustainable Revival of Post-Covid 19 Economy." The Minister is expected to draw on his extensive wealth of experience in engaging with young business owners, investors, entrepreneurs and innovators across the African continent and beyond. This is the second time in two years that Mr. Dare has been asked to speak at this particular high-level event. In his keynote address at the 74th UNGA, he said the Youth in Africa’s biggest nation, Nigeria, are in a position to help solve major challenges of the world. He added that Nigeria will rely increasingly on its Youth population to develop smart products and solutions to conquer the challenges and pr...

The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development Chief Sunday Dare has  showered  praise on  team Oyo for their outstanding performance at  the just concluded National Sports Festival in Benin where they finished in the 6th position. " Congratulations  to Team Oyo, they did  well,  finishing in the  top ten at  the just concluded  National sports festival is a huge feat . With this performance ,Team Oyo can do  better in the next edition with early preparations and  the right support”, the Minister  affirmed. Team Oyo not only  finished in the  6th position in the overall medals table, but posted  some outstanding performance in some events.Team Oyo had 29 Gold, 30 Silvers and 42 bronze  totalling 101 medals  amassed  from Weightlifting, Boxing, Chess, Table tennis, Gold,  wrestling, para table tennis among others. The high point  of the  team's performance wa...

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports development, Friday submitted the hard copy of a well researched and properly designed Covid-19 Sports Code and resumption protocol to the National assembly and the presidential task force on Covid-19. This document if approved,  will pave way for the gradual resumption of selected sporting activities after over 3-months of abrubt stop occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic which has put the world at a standstill in the last few months. Sports minister, Sunday Dare said that the objective of the Covid-19 sport code and protocol is to provide a Covid-19 infrastructure and standard operational procedure to regulate the practice of sports in Nigeria. The ministry has also put in place a central coordinating and working committee to work hand in hand with the state cordinating and working committee in ensuring proper coordination, devoid of lapses, taking into consideration the paramount importance of lives of athletes and officials at t...

Nigeria minister of youth and sports, Sunday Dare, has joined thousands of sports stakeholders and journalists to celebrate one of the emerging icons of sports journalism in Nigeria, Adewale Ajayi, as he celebrates his birthday      Describing him as a dedicated and passionate promoter of Nigeria sports in the diaspora, Dare poured encomiums on the Epe born Lagosian who was former media officer of the Under 20 National team of Nigeria and served as match commissioner in the Nigeria professional football league before traveling to Canada to further his education and gain more knowledge in sports marketing and branding.  The minister is joining everyone in sports in wishing Ajayi the very best on this auspicious occasion of his birthday. He sees him as a dogged and committed journalist with a deep eye for investigative news reporting "Adewale Congratulations. Happy birthday. God bless and keep you. Good health and long life" HM. Youth and Sports" Adewale Aj...

Recieving a delegation of members of Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development Mr. Sunday Dare expressed delight that Cricket in Nigeria is rapidly developing to a stage where Nigeria has a world presence in the sport. "When I received your letter, I did a  rough research on Cricket Nigeria and amazingly, I got a lot of information which  is really exciting to know that within the Cricket world, Nigeria has found a place  and also a voice and to realise that we were going to the World Cup is almost a shot from the blues." "We have above 38 sporting Federations and Cricket is one of them. I'm happy to see the development of Cricket, how far it has come. The Ministry I'm sure has been supportive, now we have to support them more now that they are World Cup bound", he urged. "I think most importantly the prior inspection that occurred and the fo...

Dressed in his National team jersey, Nigeria minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare says he could not hold back the happiness as he watched the Golden Eaglets trashed their Hungerian counterparts 4-2 to announce her presence at the FIFA Under 17 World Cup in Brazil from the comfort of his living room in Ibadan. The minister could not hold back his excitement as he jumped to celebrate after the Golden Eaglets came from 2-1 down to level scores, before going on to win 4-2 at fulltime.       Speaking to NSM media after the match, the minister said " I was tensed up but optimistic from start to finish. I prayed for victory and when it eventually came, I couldnt hold back the happiness. "At some point during the game, I couldnt sit to watch the match as I moved from one place to the other in my living room. As you know, I have a strong passion for the Nigerian youths and I will do anything to encourage this set of players. I was directly involved in the welfare ...

Minister of Youth and Sport Development, Mr Sunday Dare, has assured that the Ministry will build on the capacity of programmes already earmarked for the youth and scale them up to reach more beneficiaries in pursuit of government’s objective of employment and wealth creation. The Minister, who addressed participants of N-Power Software at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday during a working visit, promised that opportunities to be created from such expanded programmes will be accessible to all interested youth. Mr. Dare said, “One of the plans we have is DY.NG; it is a plan to train our youth to make them employable. The ministry will partner with this programme (N-Power Software) to make sure that we ratchet up this programme. So that in the coming year we can reach more of you in the thousands.  “We would build on the capacity of the programmes already earmarked for the youth. We will not reinvent the wheel. The Ministry will be able to bring s...

Minister  of Youth and Sports Development Hon. Sunday Dare was full of praise for the team who represented Nigeria at the World Scrabble Championship following their achievement at the global stage. Speaking to the players, officials and members of the Federation, he said, "I can't recall being in a room filled with champions. Nigerian champions, African champions, world champions and that is a comfortable feeling. It is also inspiring that in this country, whatever we put our hearts and minds to do, we can excel. You are a testimony to the fact that the Nigerian spirit cannot be killed ". He added that as a mind game, the team exceeded all expectations even with the limited resources at their disposal. While congratulating the team, he said, "these trophies tell the story, this is the story,  you are the story, and that completes the story of what you have done. To be the best scrabble playing team in the world is no small feat". Scoring the ent...

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development Hon. Sunday Dare has inaugurated a review committee to appraise the causes and factors responsible for Nigeria's poor performance at the just concluded World Athletics Championship which took place in Doha, Qatar from  the September 26-October 6. The Minister while thanking the members of the committee for accepting the task, intimated that assignment was going to be tasking and daunting as they had limited time with which to send on their report, but urged them to go for the facts and figures. He expressed confidence in the ability of the committee to do a thorough job owing to the experiences of some of the members with first hand information, interpersonal contacts with some of the athletes and officials amongst others. The committee were handed seven terms of references including evaluation  of factors responsible for the less than impressive performance of team Nigeria at the 2019 World Athletics Championship, w...

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sunday Dare has appreciated Zenith Bank Nigeria Plc for partnering with the Nigeria Basketball Ball Federation for 15 years. The  who is in Lagos, made out time to watch the Women League basketball match between Air Warriors of Abuja and Dolphins of Lagos Sunday evening. The Minister praised Zenith bank for providing support and sponsorship for the game of basketball for well over a decade. In a tweet via his Twitter Handle @SundayDareSD, the Minister wrote: "Basket ball night - Watching the Zenith Basketball female league in Lagos where the Air Warriors of Abuja and Dolphins of Lagos are slugging it out. Zenith bank thanks for your 15-year support for Basket ball. I love this game !!" The comes in line with the Minister's resolve to pay attention to all sports federations in the country.

Nigeria Minister of Youth and Sports Development,  Sunday Dare will on Monday inaugurate a Committee to review the participation of the  Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. This, according to the minister, are parts of measures to forestall a reoccurrence of the challenges that resulted in a poor showing for Team Nigeria athletes at the tournament. The inauguration,  which is scheduled to hold by 2pm at the Media Centre, Package ' A',  MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja, will set the terms of reference for the Committee, chiefly amongst which will be to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the unimpressive performance of Team Nigeria at the Doha games and the general disaffection amongst the athletes. It would be recalled that  the Minister directed the recall of Sunday Adeleye, Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria from the World Athletics Championships on the heels of ...

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sunday Dare who is in Lagos to watch the CHAN Super Eagles match against the Sparrow Hawks of Togo,   has also expressed his full support for the team. He said this in a tweet via his Twitter handle. The Minister tweeted; "CHAN 2020: Super Eagles B play today in a decisive encounter. A tough one no doubt. They have our full support and we wish them the best." It could be recalled that the first leg of the match ended 4-1 in favour of the Sparrow Hawks of Togo. Can coach Imama Amapakabo upturn the results in today's fixture? The match will take place  4 PM at the Agege stadium Lagos.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sunday Dare, was full of commendation for the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki after he undertook a tour of the Ogbemudia stadium in Benin the State capital. The stadium which was built 50 years ago, was brought back to life after several renovations were carry out by the state government.  The Honourable Minister who undertook the tour alongside Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Deputy Governor of the State Hon Philip Shuaibu, tweeted via his official Twitter Handle, "This morning I inspected alongside Gov. Obaseki and Deputy Governor Phillip ongoing upgrade and renovation works of the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin City. Indeed, it was a delightful sight. Total makeover. 50 years after it was built the stadium roars back to life !" The Minister also attended the unveiling of the Mascot of the National Sports Festival 2020 which took place at the banquet hall of the Edo State government house.

The Minister of Youth and Sports development Honourable Sunday Dare has challenged various national sports federations (NSF) to begin early preparations for the next Olympic Games tagged Tokyo 2020. The minister assured that early preparation for the Olympiad would make a big difference between success and failure. Dare said this in a meeting with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games federations presidents, technical directors, secretaries, and stakeholders at the media centre the MKO Abiola National Stadium on Tuesday. “We are left with barely 280 days to the commencement of the first two games as the Olympics and Paralympic games are scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan from July 21st to August 9th 2020 and 25th August to 6th September, 2020 respectively,” Dare said. “As adept sports administrators, we are fully aware that it takes a minimum of 8 years for a country to make meaningful preparation to post podium performance at the Olympic and Paralympic Games...

Youth and Sports Minister, Hon. Sunday Dare has restated the dogged posture and commitment of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to rehabilitate,  reposition and revamp our  various sporting centres for podium performances through public private partnership funding. To this end, Hon. Dare emphatically stated that the Ministry, with strong political will,  has urgently  initiated several processes that are already  under consideration with relevant Government agencies to actualise our set goals. Hon. Dare hinted on  this policy direction at the occasion of the 2020 Budget  defence of the Ministry held with the Senate Committee on Youth and Sports  at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arms Zones in Abuja,  today. In the course of responding to the Senate Committee members commentaries on the parlous  state of our stadia, the League Management Company and Grassroot Sport, the Minister averred that private fu...

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sunday Dare, while  speaking to the media, assured that all sports federations in the country will get the necessary attention they require. He said under his watch, all sports will get the requisite attention to fly the country's flag high at tournaments. Speaking, he said, "it is my primary duty to give all the federations attention.  Be it Badminton, Table tennis, Lawn tennis, Basketball, you name it. One thing I want to make clear is that I am not a football Minister". Speaking further, the Honourable Minister intimated that he had began  working assiduously, trying to secure private partnerships with corporate bodies who have indicated interest to join the Ministry to move sports to the next level in the country.  The Minister concluded by saying, "sports  is a lucrative business, they gain, we gain, sports in Nigeria will be the better for it".

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sunday Dare, has reiterated the necessity of various National Sports Federations under his watch to start early preparations  for Tokyo 2020 which he assured would make a big difference between success and failure. According to him, "we are left with barely 280 days to the commencement of the first two games as the Olympics and Paralympic games are scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan from July 21st to August 9th 2020 and 25th August to 6th September, 2020 respectively. The Honorable Minister made this known in his meeting with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games Federations President, Technical Directors, Secretaries General and Stakeholders at the Media Centre Package" A" of MKO National Stadium, Abuja. "As adept sports administrators, we are fully aware that it takes a minimum of 8 years for a country to make meaningful preparation to post podium performance at the Olympic and Paralympic Ga...

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has described the contributions of business magnate, Sir Kessington Adebutu, to sports development as exemplary and admirable. He made these remarks while speaking to journalists at the commissioning of the Sir Kessington Adebutu Ultra Modern Sports Centre at Maryland, Lagos State, on Sunday, the 13th October, 2019. Mr. Dare said Nigeria needs the contributions of philanthropists like Sir Adebutu to ensure sports development is done optimally. He called on private companies, communities and institutions to follow the example of the man popularly called, "Baba Ijebu". "I'm excited and humbled to be here. I only got to know about this event about fou hours ago and I cancelled all my plans to be here and honour our own Sir Kessington Adebutu." "When it comes to sports development, government alone cannot do it. We need private individuals, communities, schools and organisations to ...

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare has once again reiterated his vision of sports as a viable industry and business hub that will grow the Nigerian Economy, considering the large percentage of human resource that are mostly youths. The Minister confirmed this when he had in audience a delegation from the Nigerian Economy Summit Group (NESG) in his office in Abuja. Speaking further, the Minister assured that in few weeks, there shall be a Sports Business Summit, and this visit is very timely considering the Ministry’s determination to partner with relevant stakeholders in Youth and Sports Development. He said very quickly he will be meeting with his colleague in Women Affairs, Trade and Industry as he had earlier done with both Ministers of Education to collaborate on youth engagement, thereby bring our youths up to top speed with the education an empowerment for livelihood that they required. The Minister said the Federal Government is determined...

The employment and revenue generation potentials in the nation’s sports industry would be realized when there is a rationalization of sporting facilities in country to better position them as recreation and economic hubs. This assertion was the outcome of a meeting between the ministry and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to discuss the commercialization of the national stadia. The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare expressed his satisfaction at BPE’s willingness to work with the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) on the future of the nation’s stadia, noting that stakeholders can now work to accelerate the process. He stressed that “we will drive this as quickly as possible.” The Director General of BPE, Mr. Alexander Ayoola Okoh, had told the minister that his agency will be exercise pre-transaction mandate as a project manager while ICRC has post-transaction mandate in addition to its role as a post-concession regulator. Mr. ...