By Onyeanya Immaculata
The rehabilitation of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, is expected to gulp ₦24.642bn from the ₦203.603bn allocated to the National Sports Commission (NSC), in the 2026 appropriation bill.
The allocation is part of Nigeria’s expanded 2026 sports budget, which rose by about 300 per cent from ₦78bn in 2025, following President Bola Tinubu’s presentation of a ₦58.18tn “Budget of Restoration” to the National Assembly.
The increased funding targets infrastructure renewal, athlete development and participation in major international competitions.
Budget details show that ₦18.775bn is earmarked for the first phase of rehabilitation of the stadium’s main bowl, ₦5.8bn for the completion of a high-performance centre, and ₦65m for internet bandwidth via fibre optic and LAN/WAN connectivity at the stadium and other national sports facilities.
An additional ₦15.5bn is proposed for the construction of a sports secretariat within the complex.
NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, has said work on the stadium is expected to begin before the end of 2025 as part of efforts to revive Nigeria’s sports infrastructure.
Opened in 2003, the Abuja stadium has struggled to meet standards for hosting major fixtures, despite a renovation between 2020 and 2022.
The pitch deteriorated shortly after the upgrade, forcing the Super Eagles to move home matches to Uyo. Nigeria last played at the venue in March 2023, losing 1–0 to Guinea-Bissau.
Built at a cost of about $360m, the 60,491-capacity stadium hosted the 8th African Games and remains Nigeria’s flagship sports facility.
The NSC’s 2026 budget also provides ₦4.223bn for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, ₦5.105bn for preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games, ₦1bn for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and ₦14.2bn for Nigeria’s participation in AFCON, WAFCON and other FIFA competitions.
