By Arinzechi Chukwunonso
The National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) have commended the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) for organising a strategic retreat aimed at repositioning badminton for sustainable growth, grassroots expansion, and elite performance in the country.
The two-day retreat, held in Abuja from May 13 to 14, brought together major stakeholders in the sports sector to chart a new direction for the development of badminton in Nigeria.
Participants at the retreat included President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel; Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko; President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, alongside board members and technical officials.
Discussions at the retreat focused on grassroots expansion, elite athlete development, technical advancement, gender inclusion, competition structures, athlete welfare, and sports business opportunities.
Speaking during the event, Dikko said the initiative aligns with the NSC’s Renewed Hope Initiative Framework, which encourages sports federations to develop sustainable and measurable development plans.
According to him, sports development should extend beyond winning medals to include economic growth, youth empowerment, and the establishment of long-term structures capable of driving national development.
“This is part of what we have asked all federations to do. They must assess their capacity, define their short, medium, and long-term goals, and come up with strategic plans that can guide their development programmes,” Dikko said.
He added that grassroots development, elite performance, technical growth, and sports business must evolve together if sports is to become a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy.
Also speaking, Gumel praised the federation’s leadership and the steady progress badminton has recorded both locally and internationally.
He stressed the importance of continuity, long-term planning, and institutional structures in sustaining growth within the sport.
“Badminton is doing very well both in Nigeria and internationally, and the federation’s leadership has continued to position the sport positively so that our athletes can continue to make the country proud,” Gumel stated.
Earlier, Orbih explained that the retreat was designed to align stakeholders behind a common vision for badminton development over the next four years and beyond.
He said the federation’s agenda remains focused on player development, technical education, gender inclusion, administration, and financial sustainability.
“This retreat is about having strategic conversations that will give direction to the future of badminton in Nigeria. Our focus is on grassroots development, technical advancement, elite performance, and creating pathways that will consistently produce podium results,” Orbih said.
On his part, the federation’s Technical Director, Tunde Kazeem, described the technical department as the engine room of badminton development.
Kazeem disclosed plans to strengthen coaching, officiating, player data management, and grassroots competitions across the country.
He also noted that the federation intends to intensify female participation in badminton through structured age-grade competitions, school programmes, and nationwide talent identification initiatives.
The retreat is expected to produce a detailed strategic framework that will guide the federation’s development programmes, competition calendar, technical growth, talent identification system, and international performance targets in line with Nigeria’s broader sports development agenda.
