Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
In a move signifying the country’s commitment to promoting integrity, fairness, and excellence in sports, the Federal Government has inaugurated the Technical Board of the Nigeria Anti-Doping Centre (NADC) headed by Bar. Rasheed Olanrewaju Kazeem and Mainasara Illo, as its Executive Secretary/CEO.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, at the ceremony, yesterday, described the event as a defining moment in Nigeria’s sporting history.
He noted that the country has transited from commitment to structure, from policy to action, and from internal management to a fully constituted, independent and law-backed institution.
He said that the inauguration complied with the enactment of the National Anti-Doping Act, 2025, which established the Nigeria Anti-Doping Centre as a statutory body with the legal authority to implement Nigeria’s anti-doping obligations in line with the World Anti-Doping Code.
He acknowledged that Nigeria’s international sporting reputation had, over the years, been tainted by doping violations, stressing that the establishment of the centre and the inauguration of its Technical Board was the Federal Government’s decisive response to safeguarding the integrity of Nigerian sports.
The SGF reminded the newly inaugurated board members that their appointment was a call to service rather than ceremony, charging them to uphold the law, protect athletes, and preserve the credibility of Nigerian sports through professionalism, independence, and accountability.
He outlined the Board’s core responsibilities, which include educating athletes and stakeholders, preventing doping violations, protecting clean athletes, and enforcing anti-doping regulations where necessary. He further urged the Board to extend anti-doping education and awareness beyond elite competitions to grassroots sports, schools, community clubs, sports academies, and national sports federations across the country.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Malam Shehu Dikko, said the inauguration and swearing-in of the Technical Board of the Nigeria Anti-Doping Centre (NADC) was a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s ongoing sports sector transformation.
He declared that the country has entered a new era where integrity, accountability and sustainable sports development will define national sporting success.
Dikko added that the event marks “another decisive step in Nigeria’s sporting rebirth,” driven by the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and the administration’s vision of repositioning sports as a strategic driver of national development.
He said doping is a threat to athletes, sports federations and the nation’s international reputation and charged the newly inaugurated Technical Board to serve as the “internal compass” of Nigeria’s sports ecosystem by protecting clean athletes and promoting integrity across all levels of sport.
He urged the Board to attain and sustain full compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code while expanding anti-doping education to schools, youth competitions, national trials, training camps and sports federations nationwide.
He also called for the speedy establishment of a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory in Nigeria, noting that such a facility would significantly reduce testing costs and turnaround times, strengthen Africa’s anti-doping capacity and generate foreign exchange through regional service delivery.
Also the Director-General of National Sports Commission, Chief Bukola Olapade assured the Federal Government and Nigerians that the newly inaugurated Board will discharge its responsibilities with integrity, professionalism and unwavering commitment to protecting the credibility of Nigerian sports.
He pledged that members would justify the confidence reposed on them by diligently implementing the provisions of the National Anti-Doping Act, 2025, and ensuring full compliance with international anti-doping standards.
