Following the resignation of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership, President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football to overcome what he described as repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental, and world tournaments.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu stressed the need to reform Nigerian football, including its governance and administration.
“The reform must respond to a longstanding need to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football,” he said.
The President noted that while other sports had recorded meaningful progress since the reset of the sports sector under the re-established National Sports Commission, football has 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 stated.
He emphasised 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 of 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.
