1 hour ago
1
By Ijeoma Okigbo
Abdullahi Mustafa, the Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), on Wednesday officially declared his intention to contest for the presidency of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Mustapha, who is also President of the Dr Abdullahi Mustapha (DAM) Foundation, made the declaration in Abuja on Wednesday ahead of the Oct. 15 NBBF election.
He said his decision was about the future of Nigerian basketball and building a stronger institution.
“The conversation we are having today is bigger than an election. It is about the future of Nigerian basketball.
“My ambition is to help build an institution that would serve the next generation of Nigerian basketball players.
“I am presenting myself for that responsibility because I believe Nigerian basketball has enormous potential,” Mustapha added.
The ECN boss said he was not seeking the NBBF presidency as a newcomer to the sport.
“I am not approaching this game as a stranger seeking an office. Basketball has been part of my life for decades.
“I have played basketball at different levels, worked with young people and invested in the development of the sport.
“Through the DAM Foundation, we have supported grassroots competitions, talent development, player welfare and basketball infrastructure.
“These are not promises for tomorrow. These are investments already made in the game,” he said.
He, however, said the potential must be matched with “a stronger institution, sustainable investment, professional administration and a clear development pathway.”
The NBBF Presidential hopeful said his ambition was to take his experience and commitment to basketball development to the national level.
He described his vision as building “a united, professionally administered and commercially sustainable basketball system.”
According to him, his administration would prioritise grassroots development through school competitions, regional talent centres and a national talent identification and player-tracking system.
“We will strengthen domestic competitions through predictable calendars, improved club structures, better player welfare, digital statistics, broadcasting and stronger commercial opportunities.
“Our leagues need a predictable calendar, stronger club structures, proper licensing, improved player contracts and welfare.
“Coaches, referees, statisticians, physiotherapists, team managers and other technical personnel would receive continuous training, certification and international exposure,” he said.
Mustapha also pledged better preparation and welfare the national teams while making women’s basketball a major pillar of his development agenda.
On infrastructure, he proposed a national audit of basketball facilities and collaboration with governments and private partners to renovate abandoned courts.
He also proposed developing community and high-performance facilities to improve access to quality basketball infrastructure across the country.
“The NBBF must also become commercially sustainable through sponsorship, broadcasting, digital rights, merchandise, corporate partnerships, diaspora engagement and other revenue-generating initiatives,” he said.
Unveiling his proposed 100-day action plan, Mustapha listed an audit of the federation’s finances and programmes, a national stakeholders’ summit and a unified competition calendar.
Other priorities included a digital registration platform, sponsor engagement and the development of a four-year strategic development plan.
He said the NBBF presidency should be about service, transparency and institution-building rather than personal entitlement.
“I am not promising perfection. I am promising leadership that will listen, build partnerships, establish systems and measure itself by results,” Mustapha said.
He urged delegates to support his ambition, saying his goal was to move Nigerian basketball “from potential to podium” and use the sport to create opportunities for young Nigerians. (NAN)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
======
English (US) ·