By Augustine Ehikioya
President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, saying structural weaknesses in governance and administration are responsible for the country’s repeated failure to qualify for major regional, continental and global tournaments.
The President gave the directive in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Ononuga .
He charged the National Sports Commission to lead the process in consultation with the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, and other key stakeholders.
President Tinubu said while other sports have made progress since the reset of the sports sector under the re-established National Sports Commission, football has continued to underperform.
“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,” he said.
“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 added.
He stressed that Nigerian football must align the country’s “exceptional talent, passion and resources with stronger institutions and sustained performance.”
He directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the NFF Secretariat and relevant football stakeholders to ensure continuity in administration while facilitating a broad reform process.
The process, he said, will include “appropriate engagement with FIFA and CAF while safeguarding Nigeria’s obligations within the international football framework.”
President Tinubu called on football stakeholders and Nigerians to support the transition.
“We must work together to build a stronger, more accountable and successful football system,” he said.
The directive comes amid growing public frustration over Nigeria’s failure to qualify for recent editions of the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup at various levels.
