Tinubu vows end to allowance delays, orders immediate release of sports funds

President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive reset of the federal government’s framework for funding sports, pledging an end to the perennial delays in allowances and preparation funds that have plagued Nigerian athletes.

In a statement issued on Friday, Tinubu said he has directed the Ministries of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, as well as the Budget Office of the Federation, to make adequate annual provisions for sports development beginning from the 2026 fiscal year.

He further instructed that all funds appropriated for sports must be released immediately once the national budget is passed and assented to.

The president’s directive follows repeated protests by national teams over unpaid allowances in recent years. Most recently, the Super Eagles reportedly refused to travel for their quarter-final match at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) over unpaid entitlements, an incident the federal government attributed to administrative bottlenecks.

Tinubu said such delays have become unacceptable and must end, noting that they undermine performance and disadvantage Nigerian athletes.

“I have therefore approved and directed the relevant ministries of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning and the Budget Office of the Federation for the resetting of sports funding to ensure that henceforth as from the 2026 fiscal year adequate provisions for sporting Infrastructure development, maintenance, sporting activities, programs, events and participation in international competitions are made annually in the national budget, “the statement reads.

He added that all funds so appropriated are released immediately once the budget is passed and assented to. He stressed that Nigerian athletes “deserve certainty, not excuses.”

According to the president, sports funding in the past was slowed by bureaucracy and fragmented across institutions, with funds often released too late to support proper preparation or even participation in competitions. He also lamented the lack of meaningful investment in sports infrastructure that meets international standards.

“That cycle undermined performance and placed our athletes at a disadvantage. This must change,” Tinubu said.

The president commended Nigerian athletes for their performances in 2025, noting that the country won a total of 373 medals across international competitions. He said the new funding framework would ensure that the future of Nigerian sports is properly planned, adequately funded and globally competitive.

“The future of Nigerian sports will be planned, properly funded, and competitive. Our athletes will be supported early, prepared thoroughly, and celebrated proudly,” he said.

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