President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football to address repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental, and world tournaments.
This was followed after the resignation of the Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau and other board members on Wednesday
The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that the reform must respond to a longstanding need to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions, and accountability across Nigerian football.
Tinubu noted that while other sports have recorded meaningful progress since the reset of the sports sector under the re-established National Sports Commission, football has 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 because of structural deficits within the system,” Tinubu said.
He stressed that Nigerian football must begin to match the country’s exceptional talent, passion, and resources with stronger institutions and sustained performance.
President Tinubu directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the NFF Secretariat and relevant football stakeholders to ensure continuity in essential football administration and facilitate a broad, consultative reform process.
The process will include appropriate engagement with FIFA and CAF while safeguarding Nigeria’s obligations within the international football framework.
The President called on football stakeholders and Nigerians to support the transition and work together to build a stronger, more accountable, and successful football system.
