By Amaechi Agbo

Determined to ensure an inclusive football growth and development in the country with private sector playing active roles, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development will hold stakeholders forum on Nigeria business of football this year, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

Mr Sunday Dare, minister in charge of the ministry disclosed this recently.

Mr Dare who spoke with newsmen on the plans of the ministry going into the new year said that from the first day of January in 2020, a flurry of deliberate and key activities will take place around Nigeria football.

The minister while re-emphasising that he will not be a ‘football minister’ added that the ministry will engage selected critical stakeholders to discuss with the organized private sector as it finalizes a new National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) draft stressing that a brighter future is possible for our football development in Nigeria

“The Federal government is well disposed to introducing policies that will enhance football development and build investors’ confidence in our football. President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to bringing back to life some of our dilapidated and dead sporting facilities across the country through direct intervention and concession arrangement.

“In January 2020 a flurry of deliberate and key activities will take place around our football. The ministry will hold a public stakeholders forum on Nigeria business of football. We need the input of Nigerians into the bold and corrective steps we plan to bring into football development and general sports administration.  There will also be the engagement of select critical stakeholders to discuss with the organized private sector as we finalize a new National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) draft.

“The Ministry of Youth and Sports development has spent the last four months working with experts and the organized private sector to turn sports into a business.  To develop a business model that will metamorphosed sports into viable business creating jobs and generating revenue.

“A brighter future is possible for our football development in Nigeria.  Nigeria has the abundant raw materials (talents) to dominate the world in football. But we need to organize the business of football as it’s done in order climes to achieve the same success.  The journey starts now.  Hard work, bumpy stretches, twist and turns lie ahead.  Nigerians expect us to put in the hard work today. Not tomorrow.”