NSC Commits to Promoting Traditional Sports in Nigeria

The National Sports Commission (NSC), under the leadership of Chairman Shehu Dikko, has announced a commitment to the development and internationalization of traditional sports in Nigeria. During a visit to the Abula venue at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Friday, Dikko revealed that for the first time in Nigeria's sports administration history, a specific budget line has been created for traditional sports.

He highlighted the significance of sports like Abula, Dambe, Kokuwa, Langa, and Ayo as vital components of Nigeria’s sporting heritage, deserving of investment and international exposure. Dikko plans to encourage the Traditional Sports Federation of Nigeria to engage with other African nations to promote these sports globally.

He noted growing international interest, particularly from investors in Saudi Arabia in Dambe. Dikko also called on traditional rulers to play a more active role in promoting traditional sports, similar to their support for horse racing, and urged the federation to introduce these sports to young people from school age.