Abuja – Solomon Dalung, Minister of Youths and Sports, on Thursday endorsed the Nigeria Olympics Fund Icon to give the group the right to source for fund to develop sports in Nigeria.
Dalung, while endorsing the icon in Abuja, said the only way to grow sports in Nigeria was through private sector involvement.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria Olympics Fund Project is an initiative targeted at over 16 million Nigerians contributing at least N100 to the fund.
Dalung said the event was historic as it marks one of the steps to reposition the sports sector in Nigeria.
“I want to ensure that I hand over a sports sector that is private sector-driven. Today, we are witnessing private sector mobilisation of funds for sports development.
“In Nigeria, sports is funded 99 per cent by the government and this is a burden too heavy for the government to carry in the face of economy recession.
“Having projects like this is the only way to go to make sports survive in Nigeria,’’ he said.
Earlier, the Executive Director of the Nigeria Olympics Fund Project, Mary Onyali, said the project would create, grow and nurture athletes for the 2020 Olympics.
She said Nigeria has talents but they needed to be harnessed from the grassroots.
Onyali said going back to the grassroots informed the group’s decision of embarking on community projects.
“Sports is capital intensive and government alone cannot fund sports.
“That is why we decided to use the Nigeria Olympics Fund in partnership with the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), with the permission of the ministry to raise funds.
“That will help us get 90 targeted elite athletes for the 2020 Olympics so as to get medals for Nigeria, not minding the colour.
“We have decided to be the change agent for these athletes, stop the defection, find the talents, groom them, advise them and show them the right path,’’ she said.