The National Sports Commission (NSC) has officially secured federal approval for a major policy reform that criminalizes age fraud & falsification across all Nigerian sports, the toughest national stance ever taken against age cheating.
The policy policy was ratified at the 2nd National Council on Sports held in Calabar and takes immediate effect, covering all national age-grade competitions as well as Nigeria’s participation in continental and global youth events.
The National Sports Commission has instructed all national sports federations to update their statutes to reflect the new policy ahead of the 2026 competition calendar.
Federations have been ordered to align immediately, reform targets a shift toward integrity, transparency, and fairness in Nigerian sports as the country moves to protect young athletes, restore credibility, and ensure global competitiveness.
Age Fraud Becomes a Criminal Offence in Nigerian Sports
NSC Director-General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, announced that the new framework introduces both sporting and criminal consequences for individuals or institutions involved in manipulating ages.
In a firm warning to offenders, Olopade said:
“The era of impunity is over. Age falsification is a national disgrace and a systematic sabotage of Nigeria’s sports future.”
“We will no longer tolerate a system where fraud thrives at the expense of honest young athletes.”
He added:
“Age cheating steals dreams, destroys careers, and tarnishes our flag. These new sanctions send a clear message: If you manipulate, falsify, or misrepresent ages in Nigerian sport, you will face the full weight of the law.”
Key Penalties Under the New Anti–Age Fraud Policy
The sweeping reform imposes severe consequences on athletes, officials, teams, and institutions:
For Athletes
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Immediate disqualification from competitions
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Stripping of medals, titles, and records
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Bans, including possible lifetime bans for repeat offenders
For Coaches, Officials & Administrators
For Teams & State Delegations
For Cases Involving Forged Documents
Compulsory Age Verification Now Required
The policy also mandates the use of strict age-verification procedures, including:
These measures will apply before all national age-grade trials and tournaments.
A Response to Years of Embarrassing Scandals
Olopade noted that repeated controversies at both continental and global youth tournaments have:
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Exposed Nigeria to international embarrassment,
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Tarnished the country’s reputation,
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And unfairly denied genuine young talent the chance to compete.
Delegates at the Calabar meeting, including state sports directors, administrators, and coaches, unanimously endorsed the new framework.
