Tinubu Orders Major Reforms To Fix Nigeria’s Football Crisis After Repeated Qualification Failures

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed a comprehensive overhaul of Nigerian football following the country’s repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental and global tournaments.

Tinubu said the reforms would address longstanding weaknesses in football governance, administration, stakeholder representation, player development, domestic competitions and accountability.

The President, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said football had continued to struggle despite significant progress in other sports following the restructuring of the sports sector under the National Sports Commission.

“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 said.

He stressed that Nigeria’s football system must better match the country’s abundance of talent, passion and resources with stronger institutions and consistent results.

Tinubu directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Secretariat and other stakeholders to maintain essential football administration while beginning a broad and consultative reform process.

The process is expected to involve engagement with FIFA and CAF while ensuring that Nigeria continues to meet its obligations under the international football framework.

The President urged football stakeholders and Nigerians to support the reforms and work towards building a more effective, accountable and successful football system.