Tinubu orders NFF, stakeholders to begin football reform
President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football following the country’s repeated failure to qualify for major regional, continental and global tournaments.
Tinubu said the reform should address longstanding weaknesses in the administration and development of football in Nigeria, including governance, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability.
“The reform must respond to a longstanding need to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football,” the President said.
He said while other sports had recorded meaningful progress following the reset of the sector under the re-established National Sports Commission, football had continued to struggle because of structural weaknesses within the system.
“Football, Nigeria’s most popular sport and the greatest beneficiary of public support, investment and national attention, has continued to struggle basically due to structural deficits within the system,” Tinubu said.
The President stressed that Nigeria’s football system must better harness the country’s abundance of talent, passion and resources through stronger institutions and sustained performance.
He directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Secretariat and relevant football stakeholders to maintain continuity in essential football administration while facilitating a broad and consultative reform process.
The reform process will also involve appropriate engagement with the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), while ensuring that Nigeria meets its obligations under the international football framework.
