By Sunny Bako 

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has called on the National Sports Commission (NSC) to immediately inaugurate its 17-member governing board, warning that the current structure violates the NSC Establishment Act 2023 and undermines transparency in sports administration.

In a statement on Sunday signed by SWAN Secretary-General, Amb. Ikenna Okonkwo, on behalf of President Isaiah Benjamin, the association said the Commission has been operating without a statutory board since its establishment in October 2024 — a breach of Section 2(1) of its enabling law.

“As a statutory board member of the NSC, I’m compelled to urge the Chairman and Director-General to take all necessary steps to inaugurate the board without further delay,” Benjamin said. “Operating without a duly constituted board for nearly a year is not only a breach of the law but also undermines transparency and accountability.”

The Act stipulates that the board should comprise representatives from relevant ministries, sports bodies, the organised private sector, academia, the medical field, the military, persons with disabilities, the Nigeria Football Federation, the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria, and SWAN.

Benjamin argued that decisions taken by the NSC since October 2024 lack legal validity without the constitutionally mandated board in place. He linked the omission to a broader pattern of governance lapses in Nigerian sports, citing the protracted legal dispute involving the Nigeria Football Federation and controversies over the Athletics Federation of Nigeria elections.

“The NSC cannot continue to function as a two-man entity – comprising only the Chairman and the Director-General – while 15 other constitutionally mandated positions remain unfilled,” he stressed. “This issue will remain on the front burner until the law is obeyed.”

SWAN also criticised the neglect of its role in professional sports communication, particularly in deploying experienced and skilled Communication Managers for sports federations’ media operations. According to Benjamin, such collaboration would complement the NSC’s work, boost promotion, enhance digital marketability, and drive sponsorship opportunities.

He further condemned the practice of staging national and international events without adequate consultation with the professional sports media body, warning that political and non-professional approaches were undermining the purpose of establishing the Commission.

“One of the major reasons why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the National Sports Commission was to enable accelerated and holistic sports development in Nigeria,” Benjamin said.

“What obtained in the past when sports was under ministerial bureaucracy should be a thing of the past. Unnecessary political interference is by far not the way to go.”