Mark Aba, Abuja
The Federal Government is considering the integration of sports-related vocational training into its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme to create more employment opportunities for young Nigerians and strengthen the country’s sports industry.
The initiative is expected to position the National Institute for Sports (NIS) as a major training centre for young people seeking professional skills in coaching, sports facility management, groundskeeping, fitness training and other specialised areas of the sports economy.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji AlAlausamade this disclossure during a meeting with the Director-General of the NIS, Comrade Philip Shaibu, where both officials explored areas of collaboration between the education sector and sports institutions.
Under the proposed arrangement, selected NIS training programmes could be incorporated into the Federal Government’s TVET framework, enabling trainees to access practical vocational courses through the Institute’s training centres across eight states.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the minister on Saturday, Ikharo Attah, Alausa said the initiative would broaden the scope of sports education beyond physical education and competitive athletics, positioning the sector as a viable source of technical skills, entrepreneurship and sustainable employment.
He explained that discussions were ongoing on how basic sports training, coaching and sports facility maintenance programmes could be accommodated within the national vocational training structure, subject to the necessary approvals.
“Training programmes lasting up to six months could be considered under the proposed arrangement, although further consultations would be required to establish the implementation framework,” he said.
AAlausa also said the proposed expansion was part of efforts to widen reach of the TVET programme, which has recorded more than 250,000 trainees trained or graduated through approximately 1,200 centres within the preceding 12 to 18 months.
He disclosed that about 98 per cent of the centres were privately operated, while participating trainees received a monthly stipend of N30,000.
The minister expressed optimism that extending the programme to sports-related occupations would provide additional opportunities for young Nigerians to acquire practical skills and meet the growing demands of the sports industry.
He also highlighted a broader sports education curriculum developed in collaboration with the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), sports professionals, private-sector stakeholders and the National Sports Commission.
The framework identifies six specialised areas for structured sports education across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
They include Sports and Exercise Science; Coaching and Development Science; Sports Management and Business; Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation; Sports Technology and Data Analytics; and Sports Law.
Alausa said the framework was designed to expand professional career opportunities in the sports industry and develop local expertise in specialised areas that have traditionally received limited attention within Nigeria’s education system.
He specifically identified groundskeeping, pitch maintenance and games instruction as areas with significant employment potential that could benefit from a structured national skills-development programme.
The minister stressed that investments in sports infrastructure must be accompanied by the development of qualified local professionals capable of maintaining facilities to international standards.
He noted that building domestic capacity in specialised sports services would reduce the country’s dependence on foreign expertise while creating sustainable jobs for young Nigerians.
Alausa further reaffirmed the Ministry of Education’s readiness to collaborate with the NIS and the National Sports Commission to establish a coordinated approach that links formal education, vocational training and sports development.
He said equipping young Nigerians with industry-relevant skills remained central to the government’s efforts to expand employment opportunities, strengthen local expertise and build a sustainable sports economy.
The proposed collaboration, he added, aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government’s broader commitment to connecting vocational education with emerging labour-market opportunities.
Earlier, Shaibu commended the Minister of Education for ongoing reforms in the education sector, particularly the renewed emphasis on technical and vocational education.
Drawing on his experience as a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, the NIS Director-General underscored the need to integrate sports development into Nigeria’s school system, especially at the primary and secondary education levels.
He disclosed that the Institute was implementing a 2025–2035 strategic plan aimed at strengthening its institutional sustainability and reducing dependence on government funding.
As part of the strategy, the NIS is working to revive its coaching, fitness and executive certificate programmes, strengthen professional certification for coaches, train groundsmen and establish career pathways for retiring athletes.
Shaibu appealed to the Ministry of Education to incorporate the Institute’s basic training programme into the Federal Government’s TVET framework, noting that the partnership would broaden access to professional sports training and enhance the Institute’s capacity.
He also drew attention to the employment challenges confronting athletes after their competitive careers, stressing the need for structured vocational programmes that would equip them with alternative professional skills.
The proposed collaboration is expected to address shortages in specialised sports occupations while creating career opportunities in sports facility management, fitness centres, coaching institutions and other related sectors.
The initiative, if implemented, could strengthen Nigeria’s sports ecosystem by connecting talent development with vocational skills, professional certification and employment generation.
About the Author
