Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has announced plans to comprehensively renovate the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, with the goal of upgrading it to meet FIFA standards and positioning it to host international sporting events.
The governor made this known while receiving officials of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), led by its Director-General, Phillip Shuaibu, during a courtesy visit at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Tuesday.
Governor Sani noted that the stadium, which was originally constructed in 1965, is long overdue for a major overhaul to align with modern global standards. According to him, the renovation will transform the facility into a 32,000-seater stadium, effectively doubling its current capacity. He added that once completed, the upgraded Ahmadu Bello Stadium would rank as the second-largest stadium in Nigeria, after the National Stadium in Abuja.
The governor also praised Shuaibu’s leadership at the NIS, describing him as dynamic and resourceful. He said the institute had been largely inactive before Shuaibu’s appointment but has since begun to witness significant progress under his stewardship. Sani further recalled their shared involvement in the struggle for the return to democracy in 1999 and commended Shuaibu’s performance during his tenure as Deputy Governor of Edo State.
Earlier in his remarks, Shuaibu explained that the NIS is responsible for building human capacity within Nigeria’s sports sector, including the training of coaches, sports administrators, and medical personnel. He revealed that upon assuming office, he initiated reforms by assembling a 32-member high-profile technical team, which developed a 10-year strategic plan for the institute.
According to him, the reforms have led to expanded training programmes and the establishment of six zonal offices nationwide to improve coordination and effectiveness. He disclosed that the North-West zonal office would be based in Kaduna, while Yola and Jos would host the North-East and North-Central offices respectively.
Shuaibu expressed appreciation to Governor Sani for committing to provide a fully furnished office to enable the immediate take-off of the North-West zonal office in Kaduna.
(NAN)