President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football aimed at addressing the repeated failures of the country’s teams to qualify for major regional, continental and global tournaments.
Tinubu said the reform must tackle longstanding weaknesses in the governance and administration of the game, while strengthening stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said the directive was aimed at repositioning Nigerian football to deliver sustained success and better reflect the country’s abundant talent and passion for the sport.
Tinubu noted that while other sports had recorded meaningful progress since the reset of the sports sector under the re-established National Sports Commission, football had continued to struggle due to 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,” the President said.
He stressed that Nigerian football must begin to match the country’s exceptional talent, passion and resources with stronger institutions and sustained performance.
To achieve this, Tinubu directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Secretariat and relevant football stakeholders to ensure continuity in essential football administration and facilitate a broad and consultative reform process.
The process, according to the President, should include appropriate engagement with the Federation Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, and the Confederation of African Football, CAF, while safeguarding Nigeria’s obligations within the international football framework.
Tinubu called on football stakeholders and Nigerians to support the transition and work collectively towards building a stronger, more accountable and successful football system.
