The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, says Nigeria’s sports media remains a critical driver in transforming the nation’s sports industry into a viable economic powerhouse.
Speaking as keynote speaker at the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) 60th Diamond Anniversary Lecture themed “The Power of Sports Media: Honouring its Legacy, Shaping the Future,” Olopade described the media as the backbone of modern sports development.
“Every economy that has successfully monetised sports did so by leveraging the power of a strong media ecosystem,” Olopade said.
“Broadcast rights, streaming, and digital storytelling have become billion-dollar industries globally. Nigeria must now position itself to benefit from this transformation.”
He revealed plans by the NSC to create Digital Sports Content Hubs to connect federations, athletes, and sponsors — a move aimed at enhancing visibility, collaboration, and commercial opportunities across the sector.
The NSC boss also proposed profit-sharing media partnerships and data-driven reporting models to boost transparency and marketing decisions in the sports industry.
“Government must provide infrastructure and enabling policies, the private sector must bring innovation and investment, while the media drives visibility, trust, and public engagement,” he stated.
Olopade reaffirmed that the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE) would serve as the national blueprint to make sports a trillion-naira contributor to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030.
After the lecture, he joined guests to watch a novelty match between the SWAN Selected Team and NSC Stars, ahead of the SWAN National Awards, where he is among the honourees recognised for advancing sports development in Nigeria.
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