In Abuja on Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari said that football continues to be Nigeria’s top sport and a national treasure, and that any effort to impede its growth would be resisted.
While accepting the 10-year Football Development Masterplan delivered by Chief Sunday Dare, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, the President made the commitment.
The President emphasised that it is the duty of the government to protect the sport, which has earned Nigeria many honours, and “respect it as a national asset,” describing football as “our passion and a vital weapon for unification.”
In fact, I encourage all parties to cooperate in a constructive and patriotic manner, just as I expect and demand a better quality of patriotism, responsibility, and devotion from those responsible for running our sport.
“We have seen efforts to defame and undercut the organisations in charge of overseeing our sports. We have seen efforts to disregard Nigerian law or to sacrifice national interest to particular interests. Any effort to harm Nigeria’s football fortunes would not be taken lightly, he stressed.
President Buhari used the occasion to outline his expectations for the two-volume report. He then gave the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) instructions to start implementing it in stages while adhering to the strict guidelines of the relevant FIFA statutes and sections of the relevant Nigerian laws on sports development.
“This government is interested in creating a football culture that will take into account international best practises and assist the country in laying a strong foundation for domestic football, setting up leagues that are professionally and efficiently run, establishing a reliable and stable football schedule, and establishing a value chain that will strengthen the sports ecosystem.
“Achieving this would ensure desired advancement in regional and global contests.
“I am aware that a great deal of effort was put into creating this 10-Year Masterplan. I was regularly updated on the work being done, and I’m pleased that our objective has been reached. I’m glad that a variety of football stakeholders has their say in the Masterplan.
“I am equally pleased that the Nigeria Football 10-Year Masterplan (2022–2032) has highlighted fifteen (15) key areas of struggle and has offered helpful suggestions to overcome these basic issues that have hampered the growth of football in the nation.
“The short- and long-term strategies should start to be implemented.
“This, in my opinion, will mark a turning point for our football and a significant advancement in our efforts to foster conditions that will ensure its longevity, viability, and profitability.
The Nigeria Football Federation, the organisation responsible for the growth of our game, has been ordered to take ownership of and start carrying out this master plan with the help of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
President Buhari voiced worry about how the round leather game has developed in the nation over the last several years owing to a lack of focus on the fundamental principles of football management.
He characterised Nigeria’s domestic league’s administration as inadequate and said that norms are readily subverted.
But he was pleased that the Document addressed these concerns as well as many others.
In order to save the domestic league at all levels, the President encouraged the NFF, saying:
“Nigeria’s football growth has to go back on the track of emphasising grassroots and young development as well as an all-around sound governance framework surrounding every stage of its development. Nigeria now demands outcomes.
President Buhari reaffirmed his prior message to the group on the need for a more fair and democratic representation in the NFF Congress over the next leadership election.
He claims that by doing this, important stakeholders won’t be left out and the Federation’s business would be managed by the most skilled and professional men and women.
“This administration has shown political will. It will align it with enacting the proper legislation, making wise investments, and cooperating with important stakeholders. I am grateful to FIFA for its long-standing dedication to and support of the growth of Nigerian football. I have faith that it will work with Nigeria to strengthen the foundations of its football growth.
The Sports Minister said that throughout the course of the previous seven years, the Buhari government had given the NFF more than N15 billion in budgetary allocations and presidential interventions.
The Minister praised the President for giving attention to the country’s football development and for creating a strong basis for the game’s expansion and called the 10-year Masterplan, which took the 16-member Committee chaired by Ibrahim Galadima six months to create, “a world class document.”
According to the Minister, if the recommendations made in the Football Masterplan are carried out with the necessary will and tenacity, Nigerian football would be placed on a very solid foundation and among the greatest in the world.
The majority of the challenges surrounding the domestication of Nigerian laws, bringing NFF Statutes into compliance with FIFA Statutes, and opening up space for harmonious relationships in this nation’s football value chain would be resolved by the Plan’s execution, he said.
“The Masterplan is intended to include practical tactics that would last through the tenure of the present government and solidly establish Nigerian football on the road to long-term growth and development.
“Mr. President, with your permission, this paper will be submitted to the Federal Executive Council for review and possible financing so that the short, medium, and long term plans may begin to be implemented as part of this administration’s legacy.
The Nigeria Football Federation, our football administrators, would then get this paper. It is envisaged that they will adopt major recommendations from these studies gradually.
Dare promised that the Ministry will keep an eye on the Masterplan’s faithful execution to make sure that the commercial prospects throughout the value chain, governance structure, standardisation, and prioritisation of players’ welfare, education, and awareness are all taken into consideration.
The emphasis, he said, “will be on building capacity for sustainable, strategic youth development programmes, efficient club administration, and positive stakeholder engagement, including Referees, Players Union, Coaches Associations, supporters, Investors, local and international partnerships and collaborations.”
The legal framework surrounding football in Nigeria is one of the most crucial components of the Committee’s work, according to Dare, who also informed the President that the Masterplan made some significant suggestions on the laws and regulations regulating the administration of football.
In order to address new requirements and realities, he said, the Masterplan recommended increasing the number of members on the NFF Elective Congress and Executive Board to 111 and 16, respectively, subject to the final decision of the NFF Congress.
Former Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Chairman Galadima said that the legitimacy of NFF would be resolved by re-engineering the legal system.
He added the Masterplan also suggested using the primary mission of the National Institute of Sports, practical sports initiatives, and regulating the operations of academies and grassroots-based programmes in order to increase the tactical depth of coaches.