FEI to inspect Nigeria’s facilities after NOC approves NEF

The Fédération Équestre Internationale will begin a four-day inspection of Nigeria’s equestrian facilities on Monday, September 28, running through to October 1, as the Nigeria Equestrian Federation pushes for full affiliation with the world governing body.

The visit follows the recent recognition of the Nigeria Equestrian Federation as an Olympic sport federation by the Nigeria Olympic Committee, a development the Federation’s leadership has described as a historic institutional milestone.

The delegates are expected to travel from Abuja to Lagos and back to Abuja, inspecting equestrian facilities in both cities and holding meetings with the Nigeria Olympic Committee and the National Sports Commission.

President of the Nigeria Equestrian Federation, Dr Anthony Obiorah, said the recognition strengthens the Federation’s position within Nigeria’s sporting structure but stressed that the real work is only beginning.

“The recognition by the Nigeria Olympic Committee is a very significant institutional milestone for Nigerian equestrian sport. It gives greater clarity to the Federation’s position within Nigeria’s organised sporting structure and strengthens our ability to engage formally with national sports institutions and international sporting bodies,” Obiorah told Saturday PUNCH.

“It is particularly important because equestrian sport is an Olympic sport, and the relationship between a National Federation and its National Olympic Committee is an important part of the international sporting pathway. For us, however, recognition is not the destination. It creates a platform from which we must now deliver tangible development for athletes, coaches, officials, clubs and the wider equestrian community.”

Obiorah said the Federation is at the final stage of the affiliation process with the world body, and that the coming inspection is central to that effort.

“Our current affiliation process is a good example. The world body has a formal process through which a National Federation demonstrates that it meets the requirements for membership. That affiliation can subsequently provide access to international events, development programmes and other opportunities under its framework,” he said.

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He listed institutional consolidation, international integration, athlete development, technical development, horse welfare and partnerships as the Federation’s key priorities going forward, while acknowledging that funding, facilities, technical capacity and grassroots participation remain significant challenges.

“The biggest challenge is moving from recognition to implementation. We need sustainable funding, appropriate facilities, stronger technical capacity, qualified coaches and officials, wider grassroots participation and robust horse welfare and veterinary systems,” he said.

Vice-President of the Federation, Vanessa Asuni, said the immediate objective is to convert the recognition into a functioning international pathway for Nigerian riders.

“The immediate objective is to turn this opportunity into a functioning international pathway for Nigerian equestrian sport. In the short term, our priorities are to strengthen our governance and technical structures, establish clear certification and development pathways for riders, coaches, grooms and officials, improve veterinary and horse-welfare systems, strengthen our national competition calendar and create more opportunities for Nigerian athletes to gain international exposure,” Asuni told Saturday PUNCH.

She added that the Federation also wants to begin identifying riders with the potential to compete at the highest level and develop them through structured high-performance programmes.

The Federation, in a statement, thanked the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, and the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Ahmed Gumel, for their roles in securing the recognition.