FIFA has directed Nigerian football stakeholders to pursue a phased overhaul of the sport’s administration amid the continuing crisis surrounding the Nigeria Football Federation, with the repeal of the current NFF Act reportedly under consideration.
Key takeaways
- The proposed changes would be implemented across short-, medium- and long-term stages.
- Stakeholders are expected to sign an agreement binding future NFF administrations to complete the reform programme.
- A FIFA delegation could arrive in Nigeria within seven to 10 days.
- FIFA, rather than the National Sports Commission, would decide whether to establish a Normalization Committee.
- The reform plan could include replacing the existing NFF Act with a new legal framework.
Talks produce reform framework
The latest development followed talks held yesterday between senior officials of the National Sports Commission and selected representatives of state Football Associations, players, referees and coaches. The meeting focused on the unresolved leadership dispute within the NFF and the wider governance problems affecting Nigerian football.
A participant said FIFA had instructed those involved to separate the proposed structural changes into three stages: immediate measures, medium-term actions and longer-term reforms. The arrangement is intended to prevent the entire process from being attempted at once.
To protect the programme from being abandoned after a change of leadership, the parties are expected to sign a binding Memorandum of Understanding. Any administration that emerges from a future election would then be required to carry out all outstanding elements of the agreed roadmap.
Those present included NSC chairman Shehu Dikko, the commission’s director general Bukola Olopade, and Adeyinka Adeboye, also known as Zulu, who serves as Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Grassroots Sports Development.
FIFA to assess next steps
A FIFA delegation is expected in Nigeria in the next seven to 10 days. The participant also rejected reports that the NSC had already selected a Normalization Committee and settled its membership.
He said the authority to determine whether such a committee is required, as well as the process for forming it, rests solely with FIFA. Depending on FIFA’s assessment of the government’s involvement in resolving the dispute, the governing body could even appoint an administrator from outside Nigeria and cover the cost of that appointment itself.
The proposed reform package is also centred on repealing the NFF Act and replacing it with what was described as a “clean” piece of legislation. The rationale is that Nigeria’s current constitutional and statutory foundation is based on the Nigeria Football Association, or NFA, rather than the NFF.
Another meeting could take place today. A document from yesterday’s discussions has been circulated to members of Congress to explain the proposed reform route and determine whether the various stakeholders share a common position on the ongoing negotiations.
