President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, citing the country’s repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental and global tournaments.
In a statement titled “Protecting Football, Restoring National Pride,” President Tinubu said football occupies a special place in Nigeria’s national life, uniting citizens across generations and communities.
He noted that despite Nigeria’s abundance of football talent, passion and public support, the country’s performances have repeatedly fallen short of expectations.
According to the President, the challenges confronting Nigerian football are structural and therefore require a comprehensive institutional response.
He said the proposed reforms would focus on strengthening football governance and administration, improving stakeholder representation and accountability, rebuilding player-development pathways and strengthening domestic competitions.
“Our exceptional football talent must be supported by institutions capable of turning that talent into sustained success,” Tinubu said.
The President also linked the planned football reforms to the broader restructuring of Nigeria’s sports sector under the re-established National Sports Commission and the Renewed Hope Initiative in Sports and other related reforms (RHINSE), noting that the country had recorded meaningful progress in other sporting disciplines.
“Football, our most popular sport and the greatest beneficiary of public support, investment and national attention, must also make similar progress,” he said.
Tinubu consequently directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Secretariat and relevant football stakeholders to maintain continuity in essential football administration while facilitating a broad-based and consultative reform process.
He further directed that the process should include appropriate engagement with the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), while ensuring that Nigeria continues to meet its obligations under the international football framework.
The President called on football stakeholders and Nigerians to support the transition and collaborate in building a stronger, more accountable and successful football system capable of matching Nigeria’s talent, passion and national expectations.
“God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the President said.
