Shaibu unveils plan to bridge coaching gap

Philip Shaibu, the Director-General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), has unveiled an ambitious two-year plan aimed at tackling the substantial coaching deficit plaguing Nigerian sports. During a visit to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) office in Abuja, Shaibu highlighted that the country is estimated to be short of two million coaches, a figure that underscores the critical need for intervention.

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We are also here to seek collaboration with the NFF in our mission to bridge the two-million coaching gap in the Nigerian sports system. A meticulous study provided us with this number. If we accomplish this as planned, it will bring a complete turnaround to the coaching sector.

This initiative seeks a collaborative approach, with Shaibu calling for partnership with the NFF to bridge this gap. He noted that recent admissions at the NIS reveal a strong dominance of football, with over 50% of the 232 matriculated students being football coaches. This observation reinforces Nigeria's identity as a 'football nation' but also points to the need for broader development across all sports.

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When we matriculated 232 students recently, we discovered that 117 of them are football coaches, a ratio of more than 50 per cent, with the rest spread across other sports. This further underlines the fact that ours is a football nation.

The NFF, led by President Ibrahim Gusau, has expressed readiness to support the NIS's objectives. Gusau mentioned the federation's ongoing commitment to coach development, including organized courses for various licenses. He also advised engaging with Ministers and State Commissioners for Education to garner wider support for the initiative. From our perspective in Nigeria, this plan is not just about numbers; it's about professionalizing sports at its grassroots. A well-trained coaching cadre is fundamental to nurturing talent, improving performance, and ensuring the long-term health of our sporting ecosystem. The collaboration between the NIS and NFF, as reported by The PUNCH, is a positive step, and its success will depend on sustained commitment and broader stakeholder engagement.

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You may be aware that this NFF administration, since inception, has prioritised the development of our coaches. We have organised several coaching courses, including a CAF C Licence programme for 30 women coaches, who will return for their B Licence next year. We are also working to secure CAF approval to host a CAF A Licence course soon.