Sunday Dare Biography
Sunday Dare Biography : Sunday Akin Dare (born May 29, 1966) is a Nigerian journalist and former Minister of Youth and Sports, serving from 2019 to 2023. Before this, he was the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), a role he assumed in August 2016 following his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sunday Dare Education
Dare completed his secondary education at Baptist High School in Jos, Nigeria, between 1978 and 1983. He pursued advanced studies at Oyo State College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife, and obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in International Studies from Ahmadu Bello University in 1991. He later earned a Master of Arts (MA) in Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos in 1996.
In 1998, he became a Freedom Forum Fellow and Visiting Scholar at New York University’s School of Journalism. He also undertook studies in Media and Public Policy at Harvard University as a Nieman Journalism Fellow (2000–2001). In 2011, he received the Reuters Foundation Journalism Research Fellowship at the University of Oxford, where he focused on new media and citizen journalism in Africa, specifically its role in investigating corruption in Nigeria.
Sunday Dare Career
Sunday Dare began his journalism career over 30 years ago, working as a correspondent for The Nation magazine in New York and as a production editor for the European-supported Fourth Estate magazine during Nigeria’s military era. He contributed to the founding of The News and Tempo, two prominent Nigerian weekly magazines.
From 2001 to 2009, Sunday Dare served as Chief of the Hausa Service, African Division at Voice of America (VOA), where he oversaw radio and online broadcasts and led a team of journalists in Washington, D.C., and West Africa. In 2009, he became Senior Special Assistant (Media) to Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Communications, playing a key role in public information management and policy decisions, including the sale of the 2.3 GHz spectrum in 2014.
He founded the Social Media Clinic (SMC) to educate citizens on IT development and new media usage and served as Chief of Staff and Special Adviser on Media to then-Lagos State Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is now Nigeria’s president. In 2016, he was appointed as the NCC’s Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management. He later became Minister of Youth and Sports, a position he held from 2019 to 2023. On October 23, 2024, President Tinubu appointed him as Special Adviser on Public Communications and Orientation.
Sunday Dare Controversies
Sunday Dare faced criticism for denying Nigeria’s women’s basketball team a chance to compete in the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. He imposed a self-ban on Nigeria’s participation in international competitions shortly before the event, leading to backlash from players like Ezinne Kalu and Upe Atosu. Despite lifting the ban later, it was too late for Nigeria to reclaim its spot, leaving players deeply disappointed.
Sunday Dare Honors and Recognition
Sunday Dare was recognized among Nigeria’s fifty leading figures during the country’s Golden Jubilee in North America. He received the Voice of America Meritorious Honor Award in 2009 and was cited by the International Committee to Protect Journalists in New York in 2000 for his contributions to journalism.
Youth Development
Sunday Dare initiated several youth programs, including the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (benefiting over 28,000 youths), digital skills training for over 200,000 participants, and the DEEL Initiative, which trained over 350,000 youths in digital skills, employability, entrepreneurship, and leadership. He also hosted the first National Youth Conference in 2021 and the Commonwealth Youth and African Summit, securing the Commonwealth Youth Council headquarters for Nigeria. Additionally, Sunday Dare increased NYSC allowances and launched the APP Challenge and a youth employment program.
Sports Development
Sunday Dare spearheaded the National Sports Industry Policy to transform sports into a viable business sector. He launched the “Adopt Initiative,” which supported athletes and renovated key sports facilities like the Moshood Abiola National Stadium and Surulere Stadium. Through direct financial support, over 48 athletes received funding totaling over $500,000. He also introduced a 10-year football masterplan, rebuilt the Nigeria Premier League, and completed the ANOCA headquarters after a decade of delays.