The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has scrapped the Ministry of Sports Development and Ministry of Niger Delta. The scrapping of Sports Ministry led to the return of the National Sports Commission. 

“There will now be a ministry of regional development to oversee all the regional development commissions, such as Niger Delta Development Commission, North West Development Commission, South West Development Commission , North East Development Commission.

“The National Sports Commission will take over the role of the Ministry of Sports, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, said in a statement.

He said the FEC also approved the merger of the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy.

“The decisions were taken  at the meeting of Federal Executive Council in Abuja,” said the statement.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) first came into Nigeria in  1963 under the Federal Ministry of Education and Department of Sports, with J. D. Oguntoye as the First Director of Sports. Their Initial focus was developing sports infrastructure and promoting grassroots participation.

In 1975 ,it was renamed Sports Development Authority (SDA) with the mandate of coordinating the national sports development, promote international participation. Some of the notable achievements of the Commission was the hosting of the 2nd All Africa Games (COJA). Establishment of the the National Institute for Sports (NIS).

The National Sports Commission was established as a full parastatal organization under the Ministry of Youth and Sports in 1988, with the objectives of developing sports infrastructure, promoting grassroots participation, and enhancing international competitiveness.

Their notable achievements were the hosting of  the 1999 African Junior Athletics Championships and establishment of the National Sports Festival.

 NSC was dissolved and merged with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in 2017, with the focus of empowering the youths, Sports Development and Infrastructural upgrade.