By Aaron Ossai
The newly inaugurated President of the Nigeria Padel Federation, Hon. Babajimi Benson, has unveiled plans to attract investment, establish training academies and expand sports infrastructure to position padel as a major sport in Nigeria while creating employment opportunities for young people.
Benson said the federation would focus on grassroots development, talent identification, professional training and effective governance to build a sustainable sports ecosystem capable of producing athletes for national and international competitions.
He spoke on Thursday after the National Sports Commission (NSC) inaugurated the boards of four sports federations at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. The other federations were basketball, arm wrestling and fencing.
Benson, who chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Defence, said his decision to lead the federation was driven by the opportunities padel offers Nigerian youths, particularly given their athletic potential and enthusiasm for sports.
He noted that the sport could create career opportunities beyond playing, including coaching, club management, sports administration and tournament organisation.
According to him, Nigeria must take advantage of the sport’s growing international popularity rather than allow other countries to dominate its development.
“Nigeria must not simply watch that growth happens. Nigeria must be part of it, and ultimately, lead it in Africa,” he said.
Benson outlined four priorities for the federation: expanding participation, developing talent, establishing a competitive structure and building a financially sustainable organisation.
He said the federation would increase the number of players, clubs and courts while expanding the sport beyond Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt to other parts of the country.
Schools, universities, corporate organisations and local communities would be encouraged to embrace padel to broaden its grassroots appeal.
On talent development, Benson said the federation would establish pathways for junior players, women, girls and elite athletes, alongside training programmes for coaches, referees and tournament officials.
He added that national competitions, rankings and championships would be introduced and strengthened, while partnerships with the International Padel Federation and African stakeholders would help Nigerian players meet international standards.
The federation also plans to position Nigeria as a host for major padel competitions to attract investors, create business opportunities and stimulate growth across the sports industry.
Benson stressed that achieving these objectives would require reliable data, technology, strategic partnerships, sound administration and a viable commercial model to attract sponsors and private investors.
“Sport cannot thrive on enthusiasm alone. We need strong governance. We need technology and reliable data. We need partnerships. And we need a sustainable commercial model,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the four federation presidents, he pledged that their boards would uphold ethical standards, promote transparency and work towards improving sports administration in the country.
Earlier, NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko announced plans to create at least two million jobs through sports and raise the sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to three per cent.
Dikko said the commission was working to reposition sports as a driver of economic growth, employment and international competitiveness, beyond the traditional focus on medals and athletic achievements.
He said the Renewed Hope Initiative for the Nigerian Sports Economy was designed to expand the domestic sports industry, attract private investment and create sustainable opportunities for athletes, administrators and other professionals.
The commission, he added, had identified more than 28,000 jobs associated with the sector, including direct, indirect and induced employment, as evidence of its economic potential.
Dikko also disclosed that Nigeria won 375 medals across various sports at international competitions in 2025, describing the performance as unprecedented.
He urged the new federation boards to align their programmes with the commission’s objectives by investing in infrastructure, strengthening grassroots development and providing clear pathways for athletes to compete internationally.
“If the federations succeed, we succeed,” he said, emphasising the importance of cooperation between the commission and the federations.
On infrastructure, Dikko said the commission had secured presidential approval for a sports infrastructure development bond, with plans to raise more than N1 trillion in the initial phase through the capital market.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, urged the federations to embrace unity, sound administration and peaceful dispute resolution.
Olopade commended the Nigeria Basketball Federation for conducting a peaceful election despite previous controversies, describing cooperation as essential to stability in sports administration.
He cited the commission’s interventions in disputes involving judo and football as part of efforts to promote harmony among stakeholders.
“Sport is a family thing. We all must be united at all times,” he said.
Olopade also highlighted the commission’s regulatory powers under Section 16 of the law establishing the NSC, including provisions for licensing sports federations and withdrawing licences where necessary.
He explained that some federations were constituted through appointments by the commission rather than elections.
The director-general said basketball, fencing, arm wrestling and padel could contribute to job creation, youth empowerment and improved international performances.
He expressed optimism that fencing, arm wrestling and padel could deliver medals at the African Games, while basketball could improve its medal haul under the new leadership.
He charged the newly inaugurated boards to prioritise good governance, talent identification, grassroots development and collaboration with the commission and other stakeholders to unlock the economic and competitive potential of Nigerian sports.
