Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, has reiterated the urgent need for safety at sporting facilities across Nigeria, highlighting plans to establish a regulatory board to enforce international safety standards.
Speaking in Abuja while hosting the CAF Safe Stadium Initiative delegation, Dikko emphasized that safety must take precedence in the development and management of sports infrastructure.
“We are placing a premium on the quality and safety of sporting facilities across the country. To achieve this, we are setting up the National Sports Infrastructure Development and Management Board,” Dikko stated.
“This Board will regulate the construction, maintenance, and use of sports facilities to meet global best practices. Safety measures, such as multiple exits, firefighting equipment, crowd control mechanisms, and sustainable maintenance plans, will be mandatory.”
Dikko also called for an end to the misuse of football pitches for non-sporting events without protective measures.
“With this Board in place, activities like political rallies damaging our football pitches will be curbed. There are solutions, such as protective carpets, to safeguard grass surfaces during such events.
Substandard pitches harm players’ careers and health, and we will not tolerate it anymore. Any facility that becomes unsafe or unfit after misuse will be shut down until it meets standards,” he warned.
Dikko stressed the importance of well-trained personnel in ensuring stadium safety.
“Even the best facilities are useless without competent personnel. Regular training and retraining are non-negotiable,” he said.
He praised CAF’s initiative and expressed pride in being part of the CAF Inter-clubs Competition Organizing Committee, which ensures compliant sporting infrastructure across the continent.
The leader of the CAF delegation, Babagana Kali, highlighted efforts to train security officers from 20 NPFL clubs on safety protocols.
Dr. Chris Emeruwa, CAF’s Head of Safety and Security, emphasized a two-fold approach: infrastructure and human capacity. He urged Dikko to collaborate with state commissioners of sports to prioritize stadium safety.
“Nigeria has the potential to set the standard for Africa in safe stadiums. Other countries should be able to look to Nigeria for guidance,” Dr. Emeruwa said.
Nigeria is the 18th country to host the CAF Safe Stadium Initiative, further cementing its leadership role in African sports.
Dikko concluded with a promise to uphold safety standards, ensuring that sports facilities are secure, sustainable, and world-class.
“The safety of lives and careers in our sports sector cannot be compromised. With this initiative, we are ushering in a new era for Nigerian sports,” he declared
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