Philip Shaibu harps on NIS reform after personal setbacks

Director Traditional of the Nationwide Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has pledged sweeping reforms on the institute, citing non-public experiences that uncovered deep-rooted flaws in Nigeria’s sports activities model arrangement.

In an interview with M4Stv, the dilapidated Edo Enlighten Deputy Governor revealed that he had encountered two detrimental experiences with the NIS, no doubt one of which alive to the disqualification of Edo Queens’ coach from sitting on the bench all over the CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco.

‘I became once no doubt one of those Nigerians who felt nothing became once going down on the NIS,’ Shaibu said. ‘One in every of the detrimental experiences became once when Edo Queens favorable for the CAF Champions League in 2024, and I saw our coach, Moses Aduku, sitting within the stands. I asked why, and he educated me he wasn’t allowed on the bench because his NIS certificate wasn’t recognised.’

In response to CAF laws, coaches have to meet explicit licensing requirements to take a seat down on the bench all over interclub competitions equivalent to the CAF Champions League or Confederation Cup. Head coaches are required to aid a CAF ‘A’ License or a sound PRO License from a sister confederation (e.g., UEFA, AFC), while assistant coaches have to possess a CAF ‘B’ License.

Shaibu described the incident as a serious warning name and a symbol of the broader credibility crisis coping with the institute. He likened the NIS to the engine room of Nigeria’s sports activities ecosystem—person that has to be effectively serviced to abolish at an optimum level.
‘It’s treasure a automobile with out an engine. The engine is the NIS. We can not like going into global competitions treasure the African Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics and return empty-handed,’ he said.

He emphasised that the NIS have to fulfil its statutory role of producing world-class coaches with globally recognised certifications. ‘We now opt to align with global federations and adopt their coaching methodologies so that our graduates can qualify for the critical-level certifications,’ he added.

Shaibu also expressed optimism about the manner forward for the institute, highlighting the importance of collaboration and planning. ‘My ardour is to design things work, and by the grace of God, the non-public sector and authorities having a handshake as a ways as funding and toughen is anxious, the NIS will likely be motivate to its accurate challenges of fixing Nigerian sports activities on the management cadre,’ he said.

‘Funding is key, nevertheless what is more crucial is a blueprint—a strategic thought—and that is what we're engaged on now. It is that this strategic thought that will attract funding. And we're going to be rebranding the Institute,’ he affirmed.