President Tinubu orders comprehensive reform of Nigerian football
President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football to address repeated failures in qualifying for major tournaments. The President instructed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to collaborate with the Nigeria Football Federation Secretariat and other stakeholders to ensure administrative continuity while facilitating a broad reform process. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, stated that the reform aims to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions, and accountability. President Tinubu noted that football's struggles stem from internal weaknesses, contrasting it with progress in other sports. He emphasized that Nigerian football needs stronger institutions and sustained performance to match the country's talent and passion. The reform process will involve engagement with FIFA and CAF, while upholding Nigeria's international football governance obligations. This directive follows a challenging period for Nigerian football, marked by the Super Eagles' struggles in World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifications, and ongoing governance disputes within the NFF.
