Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Malam Shehu Dikko, says Nigeria was putting up a formal bid to host the 2031 African Games even as the commission solicits supports from the world’s anti-doping agency, WADA and it’s United States counterparts on the country’s anti-doping plans.
Formerly known as the All-Africa Games, Nigeria hosted the second edition of the quadrennial continental multi-sport event in Lagos in 1973 and held its 8th edition in Abuja in 2003.
Dikko said Nigeria was putting up the bid after a meeting on the margins of the recently concluded Inter-regional African Ministerial meeting in Banjul, Gambia with the African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Minata Samara Cessounma
At the parley with Cessounma, Dikko said the NSC wants ‘to collaborate to upscale and enhance the operations of African Union Sports Council Region II which Nigeria is hosting the headquarters and leading the process’.
He said: “ Preliminary exploratory discussions were also held to encourage Nigeria to consider making a bid to host the African Games 2031 among other collaborative initiatives between Nigeria and the Africa Union in advancing sports development in Africa.
“On the sidelines (of the Interregional African Ministerial Meeting), I engaged the Director of WADA Africa, Mr. Rodney Swigelaar and the CEO of USA Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Mr. Travis Tygard in relation to Nigeria’s quest to strengthen our anti-doping framework.”
“Providing updates on the status of the ongoing legislative work on the Nigeria Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) Bill including the proposal in the 2025 fiscal year to build a world class anti-doping lab in Nigeria to serve the whole of Africa to which both parties committed to providing all the necessary support and enablers to make the project a success. “
“The WADA Africa delegation further committed to continuously support and engage with Nigeria to ensure all pending doping processes are strengthened and resolved soonest to ensure Nigeria is fully
Dikko also met with the Gambian President 0 Mr Adama Barrow and other senior Gambian officials including the Vice President and the Minister of Youth and Sports Mr. Bakary Badjie.
“The NSC will continue engaging with all stakeholders and colleagues across the globe in our quest to boost sports development in Nigeria hinged on sustainable frameworks and create a sports economy in Nigeria in line with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he added.
Dikko was one of the panellists and speakers at the event that brought together Ministers of Sports in Africa, UNESCO Anti-Doping Convention officials, stakeholders and experts across the globe and presented a paper titled ‘Building the Legacy of Major Sports Events’ .
