In a significant move to advance the country’s sports industry, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has inaugurated the board of the E-Sports Federation of Nigeria.
The inauguration, which took place at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Friday, marks a major milestone in Nigeria’s journey to become a major player in the global e-sports industry.
According to NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko, the federation aims to position Nigeria as a competitive force in global e-sports, while also engaging young Nigerians in the rapidly growing digital sports sector.
“We want to compete favorably with our contemporaries and also ensure that our young people are actively engaged in this emerging sector,” Dikko said.
NSC Director General Bukola Olopade noted the transformative potential of e-sports in Nigeria, noting that it has the power to “energize and encourage the youth to thrive in the digital space.”
Olopade pointed out the significance of unifying the e-sports community in Nigeria, noting that “for about six years, there has been a struggle to organize the E-Sports Federation. Unifying e-sports stakeholders to work as one in leveraging an industry valued globally at almost $30 billion is a step in the right direction.”
The DG also noted: “Sports is a powerful tool for job creation, youth engagement, and national development. We want every sport to be an influential contributor to our country’s GDP.”
Persecondnews reports that the newly inaugurated board consists of 13 members with Yahaya Maikori serving as President and Pedro Damilola as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Other members include Emmanuel Oyelakin, Sunny Gullong, Sidney Esiri, Suzan Adenoyi, Ikechukwu Okoye, Kunmi Adenipebi, Tunde Onakoya, Musa Sanusi, Rita Izoje, and Clinton Agbor.
The inauguration of the E-Sports Federation of Nigeria board is expected to give a major boost to the country’s e-sports industry, creating new opportunities for young Nigerians and contributing to the country’s economic growth.
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