NIS DG Inaugurates Certificate Verification Committee Ahead of National Revalidation Exercise
Oru Leonard
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), H.E. Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, has inaugurated a committee to oversee the verification and revalidation of coaching certificates issued by the Institute ahead of a nationwide exercise scheduled to begin on January 4, 2027.
The exercise, which will run until March 4, 2027, is designed to authenticate coaching certificates, update institutional records and strengthen confidence in the professional qualifications of coaches trained by the NIS.
Under the proposed arrangement, all coaches who have undergone training at the Institute will be required to visit the NIS office in Abuja for the revalidation of their certificates.
The initiative is expected to help the Institute establish an accurate database of qualified coaches, improve record management and reinforce the credibility of its certification system.
The committee is chaired by the Institute’s Registrar, Mr. Belmond Benson, while Dr. Omoh Atsenokhai, the Institute’s Librarian, will serve as Secretary.
The committee has been tasked with laying the necessary groundwork, organising existing records and putting appropriate administrative arrangements in place to ensure a smooth and effective implementation of the exercise.
The revalidation process is also expected to ensure that coaching certificates presented for official and professional purposes are properly authenticated. According to the proposed guidelines, certificates that have not undergone the required validation will not be recognised by agencies within and outside Nigeria.
The move reflects the commitment of the Shaibu-led administration to strengthening institutional standards, promoting professionalism and safeguarding the integrity of qualifications awarded by the Institute.
Beyond certificate authentication, the exercise is expected to enhance confidence in the NIS certification process and provide a reliable database of trained coaches to support sports development across Nigeria.
(NIS Media)
