By Gabriel Ameh
Abuja, Nigeria — The National Sports Commission (NSC) is pushing Nigerian sports into a new digital frontier following a strategic engagement with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) aimed at developing the country’s e-sports ecosystem.
NSC Director-General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, on Thursday led a high-level delegation on a working visit to the Chairman of the NCC, Hon. Idris Olorunbe, to explore a partnership focused on sports digitalisation and positioning Nigeria as a competitive force in global e-sports.
During the meeting, Olopade stressed the need to integrate technology into sports development, describing e-sports as a key growth area for Nigeria’s future sporting economy.
He noted that collaboration with the telecoms regulator would enhance sports science, improve digital infrastructure, and attract sponsorship into the emerging e-sports industry.
According to him, the involvement of the private sector through corporate social responsibility will be critical to building a modern sports ecosystem capable of competing globally.
On his part, NCC Chairman, Hon. Idris Olorunbe, expressed strong support for the initiative, stating that e-sports holds significant economic and developmental potential for Nigeria.
He said the collaboration goes beyond sports, highlighting its links to youth employment, digital innovation, and national branding.
Olorunbe added that developing gaming infrastructure, improving internet connectivity, and creating enabling policies would be essential to unlocking the sector’s full potential.
Both agencies agreed on the need to establish a joint technical working group to develop a national roadmap for sports digitalisation, e-sports league development, and a structured framework for attracting investment into the digital sports ecosystem.
The NSC–NCC partnership marks a major policy step toward integrating technology with sports administration and building a sustainable e-sports economy in Nigeria.
