Africa Sports Ventures Group organizer of the first ever Pan African Sports Business Summit in Africa (2020) has congratulated the Government of Nigeria on becoming the first nation in Africa to design and approve a National Sports Industry Policy.
In a congratulatory message signed by its CEO, Leslie Koroma, the group says the approval of the policy is a major and massive step in formalizing the Sports sector as a significant contributor to national development in all facets but most importantly, economically as an engine for job creation.
‘Nigeria becomes the first African nation to take this all too important and bold step that is more than necessary in an age that has seen the sports sector become a major contributor to economic growth in many nations across the world accounting for 5 percent or more of GDPs.
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‘With a teeming youth demographic and an overall national population size exceeding 200 million, it is of the utmost significance and urgency that providing for and seeking the welfare of the entire nation through the creation of opportunities and channels for its citizens to provide for themselves through gainful employment is paramount in the governments efforts,’ wrote Koroma.
The Africa Sports Ventures Group believes sports has now been formally thrown in the mix as one of the vehicles to alleviate the lack of opportunities and a means of giving millions of Nigerians the ability to honorably fend for themselves.
”The National Sports Industry Policy will formalize and legalize many processes that till now have been conducted informally with little or no impact on the national economy thereby unable to help in alleviating unemployment which is a major conundrum for Nigeria and most if not all African nations.
”It is a step in the right direction and should be loudly applauded,’ the group said and appealed to critics to give it a chance.
‘For the cynics and party poopers rather than scoff at it, give it a chance to manifest and please don’t hesitate to throw your support behind it to see it succeed. Because it is in your best interest and especially so the millions of young men and women roaming the country jobless.’
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The group also gave special kudos to the Minister of Sports, Hon. Sunday Dare and his team that includes but not limited to Special Adviser, Olympian and National Hero Mary Onyali on leading the charge in this effort and charged other African nations to emulate what Nigeria has done.
‘Other African nations should now follow suit. No need to be shy … pursue it by putting together a focus group to conduct the requisite research and design your own National Sports Industry Policy and set Africa on a path to prosperity through Sports.’
It also called on the African Union Sports Council and the Africa Free Trade Area AfCTFA Secretariat based in Ghana to take notice and step in to facilitate and aid the widespread adoption of a Sports Industry Policy en masse across the continent to enhance the economic transformation they seek for Africans.
