President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, citing persistent failures to qualify for major regional, continental and global competitions and what he described as deep-rooted structural weaknesses within the system.
The President said the reform was necessary to address longstanding challenges affecting the governance, administration and overall development of football in the country.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the reform must strengthen governance and administration, improve stakeholder representation, expand player development pathways, revitalise domestic competitions and promote greater accountability across Nigerian football.
“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.
Tinubu noted that while other sporting disciplines had recorded significant progress following the restructuring of the sports sector and the re-establishment of the National Sports Commission, Nigerian football had continued to struggle.
“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 President stressed that Nigerian football must begin to translate the country’s enormous pool of talent, widespread passion for the game and available resources into stronger institutions and consistent success on the pitch.
He therefore directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work closely with the Nigeria Football Federation Secretariat and other relevant football stakeholders to ensure continuity in critical football administration while facilitating a broad-based and consultative reform process.
According to the directive, the reform process will involve appropriate engagement with global and continental football governing bodies, FIFA and CAF, while ensuring that Nigeria continues to meet its obligations under the international football framework.
President Tinubu called on football administrators, players, stakeholders and Nigerians to support the reform process, describing collective action as essential to rebuilding a stronger, more transparent and successful football system.
The proposed overhaul signals a renewed push by the Federal Government to address longstanding concerns over the management and performance of Nigerian football and restore the country’s competitiveness on the regional, continental and global stages.
