NSC Disburses Fresh ₦300m Training Grants To Athletes For LA 2028 Olympics

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has disbursed approximately ₦300 million in quarterly training grants to more than 31 Nigerian elite athletes as preparations intensify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The latest disbursement is the fifth since the introduction of the quarterly training grants policy in 2025 and the third payment made in 2026, bringing the total released to more than ₦1 billion over the past two years.

The initiative, implemented through the NSC’s Elite and Podium Board, provides quarterly grants of $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 to eligible athletes, depending on their performances and assessments against established scientific performance indicators.

The commission said the programme was designed to improve athletes’ welfare, provide consistent financial support for training and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness at major international competitions.

NSC Director-General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, said the disbursement reflected the commission’s commitment to building a sustainable system for sporting success through deliberate investment in athletes.

“There are no accidental successes in sports. This is why the Commission has prioritised the welfare and wellbeing of our athletes as a critical part of our strategy for scientific podium success,” Olopade said.

He explained that the grants were among the key mandates given to the commission’s leadership by President Bola Tinubu to ensure Nigerian athletes received adequate financial support for international competitions.

“I am particularly glad that we have been able to institute this athletes’ training grants policy because it is one of the core mandates Mr President gave to Mallam Shehu Dikko and me, to ensure that we put money in the pockets of Nigerian athletes and prepare them adequately for international competitions like the Olympics,” he said.

Olopade added that athletes needed financial stability to concentrate on their preparations without being distracted by the cost of training.

“We can only get the best out of our athletes when we take care of them properly. By doing so, they will wear the Green and White of our country with pride and dignity. This is why Mr President has continued to support every policy we have introduced to revamp the sports sector,” he said.

“Our athletes need this money to stay focused on their training so they are not distracted in their preparations for major competitions. And we must not forget that when we take care of our athletes, they will take care of the country with medals,” he added.

The NSC said the impact of sustained financial support had been reflected in Nigeria’s recent performances at international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the country emerged as Africa’s leading nation.

The performances of athletes such as Samuel Ogazi and Nathaniel Ezekiel, who broke world records, were also cited as evidence of the benefits of sustained investment in elite sports development.

Nigeria’s outing at the 2025 Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia further highlighted the importance of consistent support for athletes as the country steps up preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The commission said the quarterly grants remained central to its strategy to strengthen elite sports development, improve international competitiveness and deliver sustained medal-winning performances at major global competitions.