Tinubu orders comprehensive reform of Nigerian football

President Bola Tinubu has mandated a comprehensive overhaul of Nigerian football, aiming to rectify the sport's repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental, and world tournaments. The directive targets deep structural deficits that have hampered performance despite the sport's significant public support and national attention.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the reform, emphasizing that it must address weaknesses in governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions, and accountability. Tinubu contrasted football's struggles with the progress in other sports under the National Sports Commission, attributing the underperformance to internal systemic issues rather than a lack of resources or talent.

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The reform must respond to a longstanding need to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football.

"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," the President stated. He stressed the need for Nigerian football to match the nation's exceptional talent, passion, and resources with stronger institutions and sustained performance, framing the reform as an urgent corrective measure.

The reform process will involve engagement with FIFA and CAF, while ensuring Nigeria's adherence to international football governance frameworks. President Tinubu called for support from stakeholders and the public to build a more accountable and successful football system. This directive follows a challenging period for Nigerian football, marked by the Super Eagles' struggles in recent World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifications and ongoing disputes within the Nigeria Football Federation.

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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.