NSC, NOC Commend BFN Over Strategic Retreat on Badminton Development

NSC, NOC Commend BFN Over Strategic Retreat on Badminton Development

By Admin 

The Badminton Federation of Nigeria has concluded a two-day strategic retreat aimed at repositioning badminton for sustainable growth, grassroots expansion and improved elite performance across the country, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The retreat, held from May 13 to 14 in Abuja, brought together major stakeholders in Nigerian sports, including Habu Gumel, Shehu Dikko, Francis Orbih and members of the federation’s board.

The strategic meeting focused on developing a long-term framework for badminton development in Nigeria, with discussions centred on grassroots programmes, elite athlete pathways, technical advancement, competition structures, gender inclusion, athlete welfare and sports business opportunities.

Speaking during the retreat, Shehu Dikko said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Initiative Framework, which encourages sports federations to establish measurable and sustainable development plans.

According to Dikko, sports development must extend beyond winning medals to include economic impact, youth empowerment and the creation of sustainable sporting structures.

“This is part of what we have asked all federations to do. They must assess their capacity, define their short, medium and long-term goals, and develop strategic plans that will guide their programmes,” he said.

He added that grassroots development, elite performance, technical growth and sports business must evolve together if sports is to become a meaningful contributor to Nigeria’s economy.

Also addressing participants, Habu Gumel praised the federation’s leadership and acknowledged badminton’s growing profile both within Nigeria and internationally.

Gumel emphasized the importance of institutional continuity and long-term planning in sustaining progress across the sport.

“Badminton is doing very well both in Nigeria and internationally, and the federation’s leadership has continued to position the sport positively so that athletes can continue to make the country proud,” he stated.

Earlier, Francis Orbih explained that the retreat was organised to align stakeholders behind a shared vision for badminton development over the next four years and beyond.

Orbih noted that the federation’s strategy goes beyond player development to include coaching education, technical officiating, administration, gender inclusion and financial sustainability.

“Our focus is on grassroots development, technical advancement, elite performance and creating pathways that will consistently produce podium results,” he said.

“We are not only developing players, but also coaches, umpires, technical officials and administrators because every part of the system is important for sustainable growth.”

The federation also reaffirmed its commitment to expanding female participation in badminton through dedicated programmes and competitions.

BFN Technical Director Tunde Kazeem described the technical department as the “engine room” of badminton development and outlined plans to strengthen coaching structures, officiating standards and player data management nationwide.

Kazeem revealed that the federation intends to intensify grassroots and female badminton development through structured age-grade tournaments, school programmes and nationwide talent identification initiatives.

“We are focusing on player databases, coach development and technical officials because player growth cannot happen without quality coaching and efficient officiating,” he said.

He also disclosed that the federation plans to engage state governments on facility development while positioning Nigeria to host more national and continental badminton competitions.

The retreat is expected to produce a comprehensive strategic framework that will guide the federation’s competition calendar, talent identification system, technical growth and international performance targets in line with Nigeria’s broader sports development agenda.

The initiative comes at a time when Nigerian badminton continues to gain international recognition, with local athletes increasingly competing at continental and global tournaments while efforts intensify to build a stronger domestic structure for the sport.