FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stressed the need for stronger institutional structures and clearer development pathways to unlock greater opportunities for Nigerian football, as the global football body steps up engagement with stakeholders in the country.
Infantino made the call after meeting a Nigerian delegation headed by National Sports Commission Chairman, Shehu Dikko, at the FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland, on Tuesday.
Reflecting on the meeting, Infantino said, “I was pleased to sit down with a delegation from Nigeria, led by National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko, at the Home of FIFA in Zürich to hold important discussions and align on our vision for football in the country,” Infantino said in a post after the meeting.
“We had a detailed talk on institutional, governance and developmental topics, as well as our ongoing collaborations. While stressing the need to create stronger structures and pathways to provide even more opportunities for the youth, we explored areas where FIFA can further support the growth of our beautiful game in this football-passionate country.”
The discussions come at a crucial period for Nigerian football, with the Nigeria Football Federation undergoing a reform process following the mass resignation of its executive committee and President Bola Tinubu’s directive for measures to tackle what he described as “repeated failures”.
The NFF said FIFA had accepted the resignations of the federation’s principal officers and expressed its readiness to continue working with the Nigerian government, the NFF and the Confederation of African Football on a roadmap for comprehensive reforms.
Those who attended the Zurich meeting included Dikko, NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade, former NFF President and former FIFA Council member Amaju Pinnick, Acting NFF General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme and NFF Director of Legal Services Okey Obi.
The NFF disclosed that the stakeholders agreed to further meetings aimed at refining a reform roadmap covering the short, medium and long term.
The proposed reforms are expected to promote an inclusive new NFF administration while establishing a stable and peaceful environment for the growth of football in Nigeria.
Dikko, on his part, assured stakeholders that the reform exercise would be comprehensive and guided by the relevant rules, regulations and statutes.
The development comes amid growing concerns about the direction of Nigerian football, particularly the performances of the country’s senior and youth national teams and the failure of the men’s and women’s senior teams to qualify for their respective World Cups.
The NFF has also come under scrutiny regarding governance and financial management, further strengthening calls for fundamental changes to the federation’s structure.
Following the resignations, the federation established an interim administrative arrangement to oversee its affairs.
Ikpeme, a former deputy general secretary, was endorsed to manage the NFF Secretariat as interim general secretary, while former Director of Media and Communications Ademola Olajire was appointed interim deputy general secretary.
The latest engagement with FIFA is therefore expected to play a key role in shaping the next phase of reforms and determining a new direction for Nigerian football.
