On Monday, 27 May 2024, Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Bashir Adeniyi hosted a meeting with Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) President Habu Gumel and his delegation at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja. The meeting focused on enhancing collaboration to support and develop young athletes in Nigeria.

During the meeting, NOC President Habu Gumel highlighted the potential opportunities and scholarships available for young athletes to demonstrate their talents. He emphasized the importance of these programs in fostering athletic development and providing a platform for emerging talents.

CGC Bashir Adeniyi acknowledged the significant role of the Nigeria Olympic Committee in promoting the Olympic spirit both within the country and on the international stage. He praised the NOC’s efforts in building a supportive sports community and highlighted the values that sports can instill, particularly self-discipline and teamwork. “Sports can serve as a powerful tool for promoting discipline and teamwork, essential qualities for success in any organisation, especially in the paramilitary,” Adeniyi stated.

Adeniyi further stressed the importance of physical fitness in both sports and paramilitary organisations like the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). “Being physically fit enhances performance, resilience, and overall health, which are all crucial for carrying out duties effectively. It is not difficult for service members to identify as members of the sports fraternity in different forms,” he noted.

He reiterated the NCS’s commitment to talent management, emphasizing the need to identify, nurture, and expose athletic talents. “As a responsive organisation, we believe that sports management is about talent management, identifying talents, nurturing them, giving them the right exposure because they do not only represent and win but also bring values to the community that produces them,” he added.

NOC President Habu Gumel expressed his gratitude for the NCS’s support and collaboration with the international Olympic community. He highlighted the NOC’s role in coordinating and supporting Nigerian competitors in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. “The National Olympic Committee for Nigeria is responsible for coordinating and supporting Nigerian competitors in the Olympic Games. It is also the body responsible for Nigeria’s representation at the Commonwealth Games,” Gumel said.

The meeting underscored the mutual commitment of both organisations to promote sports and develop athletic talent in Nigeria, aiming to ensure that qualified individuals are well-prepared to compete on global platforms.