Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has committed to supporting the upcoming Federation of African University Games (FASU), which will be hosted in Nigeria. During a courtesy visit by the organizing committee at his office in Abuja, the minister assured that the ministry would do everything possible to ensure the event’s success.
Expressing concern about the current state of the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA), Senator Enoh urged the committee to critically examine the factors that made NUGA a significant success in the past. He emphasized the importance of collaboration at local, sub-national, and national levels to achieve excellence in sports, highlighting the role of high-performance centers as key to success.
Senator Enoh also expressed his ministry’s determination to revive school sports, recognizing its substantial benefits to the country. He announced plans to visit the Ministry of Education after the ongoing Paralympic Games to explore opportunities for collaboration in developing school sports.
Dr. Mohammed Bawa, President and Chairman of the FISU Games organizing committee, praised the minister’s grassroots-driven approach to sports administration. He requested the provision of necessary training equipment for the Nigerian team to ensure their competitiveness in the games. Dr. Bawa also appealed for a waiver of the $200 mandatory visa fee for students, suggesting that such a measure would enhance student participation from various African countries.