Presidential candidate of the New Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has raised concerns over Nigeria’s failure to turn its vast sporting talent into jobs, opportunities and a tool for youth development.
Obi spoke after watching a Nigeria Premier Football League match between Enugu Rangers FC and Ikorodu City FC at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos.
He attended the match alongside Ladipo Johnson, the NDC candidate for Lagos Central Senatorial District, and Aisha Jimoh, the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Lagos Island Constituency II.
But beyond the football match, Obi said what struck him most was the sparse crowd at a stadium built to accommodate about 10,000 spectators.
He noted that fewer than 2,000 fans were present, describing the situation as a reflection of the untapped possibilities in Nigeria’s sports sector.
Obi said countries such as Brazil and Jamaica had demonstrated how deliberate investment in sports could help engage young people, combat crime and open pathways to employment.
He said Nigeria was equally blessed with sporting talent but had failed to provide the vision, infrastructure and commitment needed to transform that talent into sustainable opportunities.
“Sport is not merely entertainment; properly developed, it can be a powerful tool for youth development, employment, and social transformation,” Obi said.
He stressed that developing sports should go beyond building stadiums or organising competitions, arguing that the sector could become part of a broader strategy for empowering young Nigerians.
“A new Nigeria is POssible,” he added.