The Nigerian NOC, led by Habu Gumel, held an Executive Board meeting at the ANOCA headquarters in Abuja ©Getty Images

The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has agreed to send teams to several key international events in preparation for next year's Olympics in Paris.

An NOC Executive Board meeting was held at the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) headquarters in Nigerian capital Abuja where the national body jointly approved plans with the country’s Ministry of Youth and Sports to participate in various global tournaments.

Among those included the African Beach Games, scheduled to be held from June 23 to 30 in Tunisian town Hammamet, the Commonwealth Youth Games, set to be staged from August 4 to 11 in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Association of National Olympic Committees World Beach Games, due to take place from August 5 to 12 in Bali in Indonesia.

"The committee believes that these foregoing Games would help the federations in their preparations ahead of two important Games next year - the African Games to be staged by Ghana in March 2024 and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games being hosted by France," a statement from the NOC read in Nigerian newspaper Leadership News.

The NOC also gave updates on major infrastructure projects including the redevelopment of the Amuwo Odofin Olympic Village comprising of a football pitch and tennis, volleyball and basketball courts.

According to the Leadership News, NOC President Habu Gumel revealed that five hectares of land had been allocated to his organisation by Nigeria’s Federal Capital Authority.

Nigeria is set to compete in the African Beach Games and ANOC World Beach Games ©Getty Images
Nigeria is set to compete in the African Beach Games and ANOC World Beach Games ©Getty Images

"The land will house the committee’s permanent secretariat and some sporting infrastructure as well as other complementing facilities," said Gumel.

"It will be fenced to protect the property.

"In order not to let the land lie fallow for a long time, the committee has taken an opportunity offered by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa to apply for a grant to build some essential facilities like the secretariat."

Nigerian Minister of Youth and Sports Sunday Dare attended the meeting where he hailed the NOC for offering financial support, training grants and scholarships courtesy of Olympic Solidarity and ANOCA.

"I have been able to secure all approvals, making sports an industry," said Dare.

"This means that companies that support sports will get tax exemptions.

"This is one crucial accomplishment that can turn around the fortunes of sports.

"We have also obtained assurances that the athletes would henceforth be fairly rewarded as they will be better prepared to win medals in major Games."