Introduction

The National Sports Festival and Para Sports Department (NSF&PS) was established by the approval of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation via Circular No. OHCSF/SPSO/OB/868/I dated September 18, 2020. The Department started operations in the Ministry on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, it was created out of the Department of Planning Monitoring and Information Management Department.

Mandate of the Department

The National Sports Festival and Para Sports Department (NSF&PS) is mandated to coordinate the National Sports Festival and activities of all the National Para Sports Federations under the Federal Ministry of Sports Development as well as to facilitate Para Sports development in Nigeria.

Functions of the Department

Specifically, the department is saddled with the following responsibilities:

• Overseeing the activities of the National Para Sports Federations (NPSFs);
• Overseeing the activities of the NPSF with other MDAs;
• Coordinating the affairs of Para Sports NGOs;
• Ensuring standardization and Uniformity in the operation of NPSFs;
• Managing Governance Structure and Transparency in the NPSFs;
• Collaborating with the Paralympics Committee of Nigeria on Nigeria’s participation in Mega Games;
• Managing Sponsorship and Marketing of activities of the Para Sports Federation;
• Coordinate the Organisation of the National Sports Festival;
• Coordinate the Organisation of the National Para Games;
• Coordinating Nigeria’s participation in the Paralympics Games;
• Coordinating Para Sports in the Commonwealth Games;
• Coordinating Nigeria’s Participation in Africa Para Games;
• Coordinating Nigeria’s Participation in Ecowas Games;
• Coordinate the development of Elite Para Sports;
• Coordinate Para Sports activities in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions;
• Coordinating the formulation, Monitoring and Review of National Sports Industry
• Policy (NSIP);
• Overseeing the activities of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region II;
• Overseeing the activities of the Nigeria House Project;
• Collaborate with the National Institute of Sports; and

Structure of the Department

The Department is headed by Director with a staff strength of 55. It is structured into the following Divisions:

• National Para Sports Development;
• Elite Paralympics Development
• Talent Identification
• Sports Recreation and Wellness

The Organogram Of NSP & PS

National Para Sports Federation

There are fifteen (15) Federations that participate in Para Sports Activities while Seven (7) National Para Sports Federations are affiliated to the Nigeria Paralympic Committee (NPC) Eight (8) are subsumed under their respective abled body Federations. The Federations oversee the implementation of policies and initiatives of the Sports sector of the Ministry.

The fifteen (15) National Sports Federations are listed below.

1 Para-Badminton

2 Para Canoe

3 Para-Taekwondo

4 Amputee Football

5 Para-Athletics

6 Para Karate

7 Para Soccer

8 Para Shooting

9 Para-Table Tennis

10 Para-Swimming

11 Powerlifting

12 Para Volleyball

13 Wheelchair Basketball

14 Wheelchair Tennis

15 Para-Cycling