Worried by the country’s dwindling fortunes in football, the Senate Committee on Sports has held an emergency meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and the National Sports Commission, NSC.
Thisdaylive.com reports that the emergency meeting with the Chairman of the NSC, Shehu Dikko, and President of the NFF, Ibrahim Gusau, was presided over by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Distinguished Senator Abdul Ningi.
In a statement late Wednesday evening, Senator Ningi said the session was convened at the prompting of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who demanded an explanation for the declining fortunes of Nigerian sports, particularly football.
Ningi said the meeting was preparatory to a comprehensive briefing he would give the Senate when it resumes next month on the state of sports and football in the country and measures being taken to reverse the trend.
During the meeting, the committee expressed deep concerns over the performances of the Super Falcons at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco where they failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Senator Ningi said the meeting was a preamble to the explanation he will offer the Senate when it reconvenes next month on the state of sports and, in particular, football in Nigeria.
The senator said the meeting also sought to bridge the gap between the NSC and NFF, stressing that both institutions must work together if Nigeria is to regain its position on the global football stage.
Ningi stressed that the Senate was particularly concerned that the poor performances of the national teams had persisted despite what he described as unprecedented motivational support from President Bola Tinubu for athletes, players and sports officials.
He recalled that the federal government had, for years, failed to provide comparable financial incentives to sportsmen and women, but noted that the Tinubu administration had introduced substantial rewards in an effort to motivate the national teams.
The Senator also noted that the federal government had significantly increased funding for the sports sector, making it difficult to attribute the teams’ poor performances solely to inadequate financial motivation.
The Senate committee chairman said the latest development had heightened calls by some football stakeholders and enthusiasts for sweeping reforms, including demands for the dissolution of the NFF.
However, he cautioned that whatever measures the Senate and other stakeholders might adopt must comply with Nigerian law and the statutes governing international football.
He assured Nigerians that the Senate would examine the circumstances surrounding the poor performances of Nigerian football teams and consider lawful measures capable of restoring discipline, coordination and competitiveness to the sector.
The emergency engagement with the NFF and NSC is expected to form part of the Senate’s broader assessment of the administration and funding of sports, with particular attention to the management of Nigeria’s national football teams and the country’s declining fortunes in international competitions.