The Senate has summoned the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) over the recent poor performance of Nigeria’s football teams.
The Senate Committee on Sports held an emergency meeting on Wednesday with NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko and NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau in Abuja.
The meeting was chaired by the committee’s Chairman, Senator Abdul Ningi.
Ningi said the meeting was held following concerns raised by Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the state of Nigerian sports, especially football.
He said the committee would use the meeting to prepare a report for the Senate ahead of its resumption next month.
Ningi said the strained relationship between the NSC and the NFF was one of the major issues discussed.
He urged both bodies to put aside their differences and work together to restore confidence in Nigerian football.
“I called them to close ranks because, as it is today, they are wide apart,” he said.
The senator said the Senate was worried that Nigeria’s football teams had continued to perform below expectations despite increased government funding and support.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu had provided financial incentives to players and officials and had also increased funding for the sports sector.
Ningi said the government’s support made the recent failures even more disappointing.
He described Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as painful and said the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup had added to concerns over the country’s football development.
Calls have already emerged from some stakeholders for the NFF to be restructured or disbanded.
Ningi, however, said the Senate would ensure that any decision taken would comply with Nigerian law and FIFA regulations.
“Whatever action we must take, we must do it within the limits of the law. We must look at our laws, and we must also look at the FIFA statutes,” he said.
The committee is expected to submit its findings when the National Assembly resumes next month.
The Senate said the aim is to identify the major problems affecting Nigerian football and recommend lasting solutions to restore the country’s fortunes on the international stage.
