Former Super Eagles captain and sports administrator Chief Segun Odegbami has urged the Federal Government to recognise sports as a major economic sector capable of creating jobs, generating wealth and driving national development.
Odegbami made the call while delivering a lecture titled “The Role of Sports as an Enabler of the Orange Economy” to participants of the Senior Executive Course 48 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.
According to him, Nigeria has yet to fully harness the enormous economic opportunities embedded within the sports industry despite possessing abundant talent and a large youth population.
He argued that sports should be viewed as a complete economic ecosystem rather than being limited to competitions and tournaments.
The former football star explained that the industry extends into areas such as ticketing, branding, sportswear manufacturing, insurance, facility management, athlete marketing and other commercial activities capable of generating substantial economic value.
Odegbami noted that countries which have successfully integrated sports into their development strategies have benefited from increased employment opportunities, stronger tourism sectors and improved national branding.
He called for deliberate investment in sports infrastructure, stressing that facilities should be designed to remain economically viable long after major competitions have ended.
Drawing comparisons with countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and several Scandinavian nations, he highlighted how sports and physical activity have been incorporated into broader national planning and development programmes.
The sports administrator also advocated increased support for female athletes and encouraged young Nigerians to embrace physical fitness as part of a healthier lifestyle.
He maintained that strategic investment in sports could help diversify the economy while creating opportunities for entrepreneurship, innovation and youth empowerment.
Stakeholders at the event agreed that the sector remains one of the country’s most underutilised economic assets and could play a significant role in advancing Nigeria’s creative and Orange Economy ambitions.
