Senate backs NIS ₦60bn budget proposal, calls for NSC board reconstitution.

The Nigerian Senate Committee on Sports on Thursday endorsed the significantly increased budget proposal for the National Institute of Sports (NIS), raising it from ₦2.8 billion to about ₦60 billion in the 2026 fiscal year to boost sports development.
While presenting the 2026 budget proposal, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute, Comrade Philip Shaibu, said the funding increase is aimed at enhancing training, upgrading infrastructure, and strengthening preparations for international competitions.

Comrade Shaibu, the immediate past Deputy Governor of Edo State, appealed to the Legislature for support in fulfilling his mandate for the Institute.
He also disclosed that the NIS plans to train grassroots coaches in the fundamental knowledge and modern techniques of sports development.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Abdul Ningi, pledged to move a motion for the reconstitution of the Board of the National Sports Commission (NSC), stressing that the Commission should not be operated as a one-man show.
The Senate Committee Chairman stated that by the first quarter of the year, the Commission should have a properly constituted board to oversee its operations.
He further emphasized that Nigerian sports cannot progress without the National Institute of Sports playing a central role.