The Federal Government has approved the recognition of Mixed Martial Arts (NMMAF), as one of the National Sports Federations under the control and supervision of the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development.

The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, said this in a statement issued on Tuesday by Mohammed Manga, Director, Press & Public Relations of the ministry.

Manga reported the minister as saying that the approval was granted on Jan. 11 following series of interfaces between the federation’s board and the ministry.

He said the approval came, having satisfied the condition precedent, pursuant to NMMAF’s acceptance to abide by the Code of Governance of all National Sports.

“The recognition has also saddled the Federation with the responsibility to develop, regulate and ensure the safety of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as a thriving Sports in Nigeria in line with global best practices,” the statement quoted Dare as saying.

He called on the federation to work towards discovering and developing talents from the grassroots for the game.

The minister also urged them to take the game to a world-class status not only through the development and maintenance of strict rules but also adhering strictly to its standards.

The Mixed Martial Arts Game is reputed to be one of the world’s fastest-growing sports with an estimated 449 million followers worldwide.