The Nigerian Mixed Martial Arts Federation (NMMAF) has been given federal government approval to operate as one of the National Sports Federations under the direction and administration of the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development.
This was announced by Sunday Dare, Minister of Sports and Youth Development, in a statement made on Tuesday by Mohamed Manga, Director of Press and Public Relations for the ministry.
According to Manga, the minister stated that the consent was given on January 11 as a result of numerous interactions between the federation’s board and the ministry.
He claimed that after the prerequisite was met and NMMAF agreed to adhere by the Code of Governance of all National Sports, approval was granted.
In keeping with international best practises, the release quoted Dare as stating, “The recognition has also saddled the Federation with the obligation to develop, regulate and assure the safety of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as a vibrant Sport in Nigeria.”
He urged the federation to work on identifying and nurturing grassroots potential for the game.
The minister also exhorted them to elevate the game to a professional level by upholding its standards and developing and maintaining stringent rules.
With an estimated 449 million fans worldwide, mixed martial arts is one of the sports with the quickest growth rates.
