Sports now a national economic force – Akpabio

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has declared that sports is no longer a pastime but a powerful economic force and a tool for national unity and integration.

Akpabio made this statement in Abeokuta on Thursday during the closing ceremony of the 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) 2025, held in Ogun State.

In his address, Akpabio highlighted the economic potential of sports, revealing that as of 2023, the global sports industry was valued at $484.9 billion, projected to rise to $507.69 billion by 2025. He noted, however, that Africa’s contribution stands at a modest 0.5% of GDP, signaling a significant growth opportunity.

“This underscores its profound role as a driver of economic activity, job creation, tourism, health, and national pride. It is a call to action for governments, schools, private investors, and corporate organizations to recognize sports not as leisure, but as leverage for national development,” he said.

He saluted the athletes, noting that every participant was a winner for having earned a spot to compete at the national level. Akpabio also commended the Minister of Sports, Senator John Owan Enoh, and the entire ministry for organizing what he described as a flawless festival.

Reflecting on his tenure as Akwa Ibom governor, Akpabio recalled how he built the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, now a landmark in Nigeria’s sports architecture, emphasizing his longstanding belief in the transformative power of sports.

Akpabio urged schools at all levels to integrate sports into their culture and called on corporate bodies to invest in sports initiatives as strategic ventures. Addressing the athletes, he described sports as a gateway to greatness and shared the inspiring story of Lionel Messi, who overcame adversity to become a global icon.

“The moral of the story is that talent is universal—but opportunity is not. We must create the opportunities for our talents. No Messi should be allowed to wallow and die in insignificance,” he said.

As he officially declared the 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival closed, Akpabio charged stakeholders to build, back, and believe in Nigeria’s young talents, stressing that somewhere out there, Nigeria’s own Messi is waiting to be discovered.

He concluded by congratulating the athletes and urging the hopeful to keep training, declaring, “To Nigeria — your greatness is only beginning.”