NFF Executive Committee craves greater government support

The Nigeria Football Federation has commended the Federal Government, through the National Sports Commission, for its support and encouragement of the activities, events and programmes of the football house and the national teams in the past year just as it pleaded for even greater support and encouragement this year.

This formed part of the communique issued after it’s Executive Committee meeting held at the NFF Secretariat, Abuja on Monday, 17th March 2025.

According to the communique, the football house resolved to work harder at brokering partnerships and sponsorships with Corporate Nigeria and even from interested overseas establishments for the various national teams.

It also resolved to give commitments to Super Eagles’ potentially-explosive six FIFA World Cup qualifying matches which includes; the Super Eagles preparation for, and participation, in the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco; the Super Falcons’ preparation for, and participation in, the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.

Others are; the Super Eagles’ B preparation for, and participation in, the 8th African Nations Championship; the Flying Eagles’ preparation for, and participation in, this year’s Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire; the Flamingos’ final qualifying round and eventual preparation for, and participation in, this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals in Morocco; the Falconets’ qualification race for next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup; and various developmental programmes.

The communique noted that after a presentation by the General Secretary on the logistics and general support services that have been put in place for the Super Eagles ahead of their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda in Kigali (Friday, 21st March) and Zimbabwe in Uyo (Tuesday, 25th March), the Executive Committee charged the players to go all out for the six points in both matches to boost Nigeria’s qualification hopes.

It also called on all Nigerians to support and encourage the team in whatever fair and proper way they are competent to, in order to guarantee victory in both matches.

The Executive Committee meeting also praised world football-governing body, FIFA for approving the proposal of the Committee for Nigeria’s FIFA Forward 3.0 funds to be committed to the building of a befitting players’ hostel, two new training pitches and the reconstruction of the existing synthetic pitch, complete with spectators’ terraces and dressing rooms for players and officials.

The Committee posited that it expectantly looks forward to the ground-breaking ceremony, which takes place in Abuja on Tuesday, 18th March 2025, and for which FIFA officials have arrived in Abuja and many distinguished Nigerians across the political, business and football realms have been invited.

Further more, the Committee praised the U-17 Girls’ National Team, Flamingos, for their impressive aggregate victory (5-1) over their South African counterparts in the penultimate round of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualification series, but equally charged the players to work even harder in order to prevail over their Algerian opponents in the final round of the qualification series slated for next month.

Finally, the committee thanked the Governor of Katsina State Dikko Umar Radda for accepting to foot the bills of the Flying Eagles for their first phase camping in the state ahead of this year’s Africa U-20 Cup of Nations slated for Cote d’Ivoire from 26th April – 18th May, 2025 even as it directed the NFF secretariat to arrange the best possible final-phase camping for the team before the championship.

In attendance at the meeting are; Ibrahim Musa Gusau (President); Gbenga Elegbeleye (2nd Vice President); Yusuf Ahmed (Member); Babagana Kalli (Member); Sharif Rabiu Inuwa (Member); Sunday Dele-Ajayi (Member); Ganiyu Majekodunmi (Member); Nse Essien (Member); Margaret Icheen (Member); Timothy Heman Magaji (Member); George Aluo (Member); Mohammed Sanusi (Secretary).