Abuja To Host Three-Day IOC Governance Training For Women in Sports Administration

Abuja To Host Three-Day IOC Governance Training For Women in Sports Administration

By Niyi Busari 

The Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) will host an advanced gender-inclusive governance course in Abuja later this month, in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Scheduled to run from March 23 to March 25, 2026, the three-day programme will take place at the Media Centre, Package B, Moshood Abiola National Stadium. The initiative is supported by Olympic Solidarity and forms part of broader efforts to strengthen governance and promote inclusive leadership within Nigeria’s sports administration.

The course is specifically tailored for former female athletes and women currently serving on the boards of National Sports Federations. It reflects the NOC’s commitment to enhancing institutional effectiveness, encouraging boardroom diversity and aligning local governance standards with international best practices.

NOC President, Habu Ahmed Gumel, will formally declare the programme open. He emphasised that sustainable sports development depends on transparent, accountable and inclusive governance structures.

According to Gumel, meaningful institutional reform requires capable and diverse leadership. By strengthening the capacity of women in decision-making roles, he noted, the NOC aims to improve compliance with global standards while reinforcing the foundations for long-term sports development in Nigeria.

Delivered under the IOC’s global educational framework, the curriculum is based on the IOC Sports Administration Course manual. Participants will receive internationally recognised training in governance reform and strategic planning, financial oversight and organisational accountability, ethical leadership and safeguarding principles, as well as policy implementation and institutional management.

Beyond technical instruction, the programme is also expected to serve as a platform for mentorship and peer collaboration, fostering a network of women leaders equipped to drive reform and strategic growth across their respective federations.

The NOC reiterated its commitment to working with government agencies and key stakeholders to ensure measurable progress in board diversity and leadership effectiveness. Organisers say the initiative is expected to deliver tangible outcomes, including stronger institutional oversight and increased female representation in high-level decision-making roles within Nigerian sport.