The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has pledged full government backing for the maiden Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry Games, describing the initiative as a strategic platform to deepen cohesion within the power sector and stimulate the sports economy.
Dikko made the pledge in a statement issued on Sunday following a courtesy visit by the management of the NESI Platform, organisers of the NESI Week 2026, which will feature sporting activities for workers and stakeholders across the electricity value chain.
According to the statement, the Commission is ready to provide technical and institutional backing for the games scheduled for November 15 to 20, 2026, in Abuja, bringing together generation companies, distribution companies, transmission operators, regulators, government agencies and other stakeholders under one platform.
He said the sector more commonly associated with megawatts, tariffs and grid collapses, Nigeria’s electricity industry is now turning to sports as a tool for unity, productivity and economic growth.
Speaking during the meeting, Dikko said the initiative aligned with the government’s agenda to expand the sports economy while promoting collaboration and productivity in critical sectors.
He said, “Our mandate here is to work for every sport, for every organisation, and to provide the enabling environment for every sport to prosper, whether it is grassroots sports, community sports, or organizational sports like the one you are trying to do.
“If we talk about harnessing the potential of the sports economy, it is not just about elite athletes. It is across all facets of the economy, top to bottom. What you are about to do, from the zonal qualifiers to the state levels and then the finals, will have a measurable economic impact.”