Rita Odafe
Shehu Sani, the former senator for Kaduna Central, has expressed his unease regarding the recent funding designated for the renovation of the national stadium in Abuja.
Reports indicate that the Nigerian government has earmarked over N12 billion for the renovation of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
This funding is part of President Bola Tinubu’s “Budget of Restoration” for 2025, which totals N49.7 trillion and was introduced to the 10th National Assembly.
The budget stipulates that the National Sports Commission (NSC) will allocate N12,772,951,242 from its overall budget of N94,947,006,325 specifically for the upgrade of the stadium’s main bowl.
Additionally, N4.5 billion is designated for the construction of a sports secretariat at the stadium, N3.65 billion for purchasing official vehicles and other utilities, and N1.2 billion for establishing a headquarters for the National Olympic Committee (NOC) in Abuja.
In light of the economic struggles in Nigeria, Shehu Sani took to X on Sunday to point out that Aliko Dangote had already renovated the stadium in 2022. He raised concerns about the substantial allocation in the 2025 budget, noting that Dangote completed the same renovation for just $1 million.
“In 2022, Dangote renovated the Abuja stadium with $1m and I heard the stadium is among those to be renovated with N31 Billion in 2025. I will find out where would be renovated.”
