This research work was on the influence of Nigeria tertiary institutions on the development of sports participation and elitism in Nigeria sporting culture. The purpose of the study was to examine whether Nigeria tertiary institutions have any significant influence on the development of sports participation and elitism in Nigeria. The population for this study was drawn from all the tertiary institutions in Nigeria namely Universities, Colleges of Education and Polytechnics. The research adopted the ex-post facto research design in the conduct of this study. This was because the information needed for this research was already in existence and cannot be manipulated. A self-designed questionnaire was vetted and pilot tested. One thousand four hundred and twenty-eight (1428) questionnaire were distributed to the identified respondents in the selected tertiary institutions. The data collected for the research was subjected to statistical analysis in which descriptive statistics involving frequency count, percentages for the analysis of the demographic characteristics mean, standard deviation and standard error was computed for each of the item in the instrument to answer the research questions. Hypotheses were tested using chi-square statistic test of independence to determine differences in opinion of respondents as to whether tertiary institutions in Nigeria have influence on the development of sports participation, and elitism in Nigeria sporting culture. All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of tolerance. The study found out that, there was no significant influence of Nigeria tertiary institutions on the development of sports participation in Nigeria sporting culture hence, . However, it was found out that there was a significant influence of Nigeria tertiary institutions on the development of elitism in Nigeria sporting culture hence, . It was therefore, recommended that a joint monitoring committee involving students and staff of tertiary institutions, and members of the host communities be set up to encourage greater participation of both members of the tertiary institutions and those of the host communities. Through this, the tertiary institutions will influence sports participation in Nigeria. Youths and other members of the host communities should make all sports facilities in the tertiary institutions open for use. The government and the tertiary institutions should award scholarship to students and youths in the host communities who excel in competitive sports. This would enable them to study courses of their choice as means of motivation to take to elite sports.