Members of the Congress of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have welcomed and endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for comprehensive reforms of Nigerian football, pledging their full support for the process.
At a meeting held at Reno Hotel, Katampe, Abuja, Congress members described the reform agenda as necessary to address longstanding challenges within Nigerian football and establish stronger foundations for sustainable growth.
The members expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his support and funding for Nigerian football and sports, noting his commitment to the development of the sector.
Congress agreed that Nigerian football requires an urgent “hard reset” focused on improving governance, transparency, accountability, stakeholder representation, domestic competitions and the overall development of the game.
Following the meeting, a delegation representing the various NFF zones and key football constituencies, including players, coaches, referees, the media and other stakeholders met with National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, at the NSC Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, 28 August 2026.
Dikko briefed the delegation on the objectives of President Tinubu’s football reform agenda, as well as plans for sports infrastructure development, funding, unlocking the economic potential of Nigerian sports and the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE) framework.
The Congress delegation subsequently pledged its unconditional alignment and support for the reform process.
Members said they would await the outcome of ongoing engagements involving the NSC, FIFA and CAF, after which they would support the activation and implementation of the agreed reform roadmap and framework.
Congress also reaffirmed that football is a major national asset and must contribute to, and align with, the Federal Government’s broader reform agenda.
It called on all stakeholders to embrace the changes required to reposition Nigerian football, stressing that personal interests, apprehension or resistance to change must not stand in the way of the game’s progress.
As a major stakeholder within the NFF structure, Congress said it remains committed to helping restore confidence, strengthen stability and deliver lasting success for Nigerian football — both on and off the pitch.
