President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino says the world football governing body is working with Nigerian authorities on reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s football structures and creating more opportunities for young players.
Infantino disclosed this on Tuesday after meeting a Nigerian delegation led by National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko at FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland.
In a post on Instagram, Infantino said he was thrilled to receive the Nigerian delegation and was ready to align with the country’s vision for football.
The meeting focused on institutional, governance, and developmental issues affecting Nigerian football, as well as opportunities to deepen ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and FIFA.
In a reflection of FIFA’s commitment to engage constructively with Nigeria’s reform process, Infantino said he was pleased to meet the delegation and described the discussions as an opportunity to align on a shared vision for the future of Nigerian football.
“I was pleased to sit down with a delegation from Nigeria, led by National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko, at the Home of FIFA in Zürich to hold important discussions and align on our vision for football in the country,” Infantino said.
He said the discussions went beyond immediate football competitions and also focused on the institutional foundations required to create a stronger and more sustainable football ecosystem.
“We had a detailed talk on institutional, governance, and developmental topics, as well as our ongoing collaborations.
“While stressing the need to create stronger structures and pathways to provide even more opportunities for the youth, we explored areas where FIFA can further support the growth of our beautiful game in this football-passionate country,” he said.
NFF also confirmed in a statement yesterday that FIFA has accepted the resignations of principal officers of the Nigeria Football Federation and pledged to continue the engagement with the Government of Nigeria, the NFF administration, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on a new roadmap for comprehensive reforms of Nigerian football.
“At a meeting inside FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland, attended by FIFA, CAF, CAF advisors, NSC, and the NFF Administration, it was agreed to proceed with engagements and interactions to fine-tune a roadmap that will ensure the delivery of the expected reforms both in the short, medium, and long term, and to ensure that an inclusive new NFF emerges going forward and with the enabling environment, peaceful and stable, to be in position to deliver success both on and off the pitch for the benefit and growth of Nigeria Football,” the NFF statement emphasised.
Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, who was part of the delegation, said the engagement demonstrates the NSC’s approach of working with international football institutions and key national stakeholders to ensure that reforms are developed in line with global best practices while addressing Nigeria’s specific football development needs.
“For the NSC, the Zurich engagement represents another important step in the ongoing process of repositioning Nigerian football through stronger institutions, clearer development pathways, improved governance, and greater opportunities for young Nigerians.”
Other top officials who were part of the delegation to Zurich include Special Advisor to the CAF President and Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Men’s National Teams’ Competitions Committee, Amaju Pinnick; NFF Acting General Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme; NFF’s Director of Legal Services, Okey Obi Esq.; and other officials at the meeting, including CAF 2nd Vice President Kurt-Okraku and FIFA’s Director of Member Associations (Africa), Gelson Fernandes.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
