Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has promised backing for the growth of women’s and junior golf in Nigeria, including plans to provide a permanent secretariat for the Ladies’ Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN).
He also approved a shared funding model under which the FCT Administration and the association will each cover 50 per cent of the cost of using the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre for the closing dinner and awards ceremony of the All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) Nigeria 2026.
Wike gave the assurances on Friday while hosting an LGAN delegation headed by its president, Dr Lami Ahmed, at his official residence in Life Camp, Abuja.
The minister further committed to assisting the staging of the continental women’s amateur golf event, which will run from November 2 to 7 at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja. He also promised facilities aimed at boosting grassroots and junior participation in the sport.
He was, however, cautious about the association’s proposal for him to become Chief Host. Wike noted that the role carries obligations that demand direct involvement and said his crowded diary may prevent him from fulfilling them properly.
Wike said the FCT Administration had already stepped in over the poor state of the IBB International Golf and Country Club, adding that refurbishment work at the venue was approximately 35 per cent complete.
He explained that the administration had brought in the firm responsible for the golf course project to make sure essential upgrades were finished before the championship, despite the short window available.
The minister asked why a venue of the club’s standing had been permitted to fall into disrepair, saying the situation illustrated the wider difficulty involved in administering publicly owned institutions.
“Why should a facility like this be allowed to deteriorate? It is simple to criticise those elected or appointed to oversee affairs in the country. Yet you can see how hard it is to manage even a small place.
“And then we are dealing with complex nations and complex societies,” he said.
