Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has called for greater investment in sports development, saying Nigeria can use the sector to create opportunities for young people and drive social transformation.
Obi made the call after attending a Nigeria Premier Football League match between Enugu Rangers FC and Ikorodu City FC at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos.
He was accompanied by Ladipo Johnson, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Lagos Central Senatorial District, and Aisha Jimoh, the NDC candidate for Lagos Island Constituency II.
Reflecting on the match, Obi said sports have the potential to become a major tool for youth empowerment, employment creation, and crime reduction if properly developed.
According to him, countries like Brazil and Jamaica have shown how sports can be used to engage young people and build opportunities beyond entertainment.
“As the match unfolded, I thought about the enormous possibilities of sport and how countries such as Brazil and Jamaica have used it to engage young people, fight crime, and create opportunities,” Obi said.
The former presidential candidate expressed disappointment over the poor level of sports development in Nigeria, particularly the lack of strong support systems that can help young talents achieve their potential.
“It pained me to see how poorly we are developing sports in Nigeria. A stadium with a capacity of about 10,000 had fewer than 2,000 spectators,” he said.
Obi noted that Nigeria is blessed with talented athletes and footballers but needs better planning, investment, and commitment to convert these talents into meaningful opportunities for youths.
“Nigeria has no shortage of sporting talent. What we lack is the vision and commitment to turn that talent into opportunities for our young people,” he stated.
He further explained that sports can play a wider role in national development by providing jobs, promoting discipline, and giving young people a positive platform to build their future.
“Sport is not merely entertainment; properly developed, it can be a powerful tool for youth development, employment, and social transformation,” Obi added.
Nigeria has a long history of sporting achievements, especially in football, athletics, and boxing, but experts have repeatedly highlighted challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited grassroots programmes, and insufficient private sector investment.
Obi said Nigeria must rethink its approach to sports and take advantage of the sector’s ability to improve the lives of millions of young people.