Ibrahim Musa Gusau: Reforming Nigeria’s Football Administration 

BY HARRY AWURUMIBE

In the words of an Irish author Oscar Wilde and Will Rogers, an American accomplished performer/actor, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

This very popular quote is apt in the decision of the incumbent President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Alhaji  Ibrahim Musa Gusau to prioritise accountability and selfless

service in the administration of Nigeria football over personal aggrandisement or egoism.

The recent groundbreaking ceremony of NFF-FIFA Players Hostel and Training Pitches Project, which was performed by no less a personality than the Speaker of Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.  Tajudeen Abbas was a clear testament to Gusau’s leadership qualities and vision  for the future of Nigerian football.

Perhaps it is this pursuit of  selflessness and vision for a brighter future for Nigerian football that informed Gusau’s policy thrust, which is anchored on accountability and service to the nation over power, prestige, and wealth. This can be seen in the way he has handled the office he is holding in trust for over 200 million Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.

The former Zamfara State Football Association Chairman had made accountability his focal point immediately he was elected as the NFF president on September 30, 2022, at the Federation’s 78th Elective Congress at Benin-City, Edo state.

Also, the former civil servant and a certified accountant with Zamfara State Ministry of Finance have silently but steadily walked the talk by ensuring that there is transparency in the way he has managed the finances of the NFF since he assumed office at the Sunday Dankaro House headquarters over two years ago.

But the 40th President of the Federation has taken his revolutionization of Nigeria’s football administration a notch higher than he met it by taking a bold step to utilise the FIFA Forward Funds to embark on an ambitious construction of a new technical centre project that will contribute to the sustained success of the Nigeria football teams in particular and nation’s football in general.

Specifically, the FIFA-sponsored new project, which has already commenced at Package B,

Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, will include a 68-room accommodation block for the players, known as the *NFF-FIFA Players Hostel*, which will include 62 single rooms, four suites and two executive suites plus kitchen, restaurant, sauna, standard swimming pool, meeting rooms and a banquet hall.

The project also covers the construction of two standard playing pitches made of natural grass and artificial surfaces with half-covered terraces, with 1,838 seats for spectators along with two dressing-rooms for players and two for officials will be executed with over four hundred million United States dollars (4.8m USD) from world football ruling body in Switzerland.

It was reliably gathered that FIFA Forward is providing Four Million Eight Hundred and Seventy Nine Thousand Five Hundred and Seventy US Dollars

(USD 4,879,570) only in funding for the project. The Forward programme is the cornerstone of FIFA’s efforts to develop and grow football around the world with each FIFA Member Association eligible to receive up to Eight Million US Dollars (USD 8 million) in funding during the current 2023-2026 cycle, a seven-fold increase compared to 2016.

When completed, Nigeria’s 13 national teams will benefit from the vastly improved facilities after work began on the construction site near the NFF Secretariat, Abuja with the contractors, Jedo Investment Construction & Engineering Company Limited, already mobilised to site to commence excavation works. The project is expected to be completed within two years, and the NFF President said it would be transformational for the men’s and women’s national teams, the Super Eagles, and the Super Falcons, respectively.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 in the presence of the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, top

government officials, diplomats, Nigeria legends,  and top officials of

NFF led by his humble self, Gusau gave an insight to why he has chosen to embark on the construction of the legacy project, which he said future generations of Nigerian footballers will benefit from the facilities being provided.

According to Gusau: “Right from the inception of the present NFF administration, we were very clear on what we wanted to do with our FIFA Forward 3.0 funds. Building a players’ hostel and having new training pitches will not only enhance team management, it will substantially reduce expenditure in these areas and enable us to commit more funds to grassroots development programs. I am determined to complete the project “to bequeath as a legacy to football in our country.

“For sustained success, it is imperative for us to provide the conducive environment, infrastructure, equipment and support systems that will allow players and officials to give their very best at all times, and compete favourably at the highest level. The NFF is eternally grateful to FIFA for funding this project.”

Also, speaking at the event,  FIFA Deputy Chief Member Associations Officer and Regional Director Africa,  Gelson Fernandes, commended Gusua-led NFF for deeming it fit to build a world class Technical Centre for the national teams, saying that the project is a brilliant one for Nigeria football.

Said he: “The main objective of the Forward Programme is to ensure top-quality infrastructure that drives football development worldwide. The NFF’s transformation of its Technical Centre is a perfect example – upgrading training pitches, building modern accommodation, and creating a true home for the national teams; this project is a brilliant one for Nigeria football.

“We’re proud to support and to work alongside the NFF, not only with funding but also by sharing expertise to make this project a reality. Nigeria lives and breathes football, and FIFA is committed to helping the game grow as much as we can.”

Indeed, it is not only the FIFA representative who is praising Gusua for embarking on this audacious landmark initiative, which is a clear departure from the past as Nigeria is not blessed with sports administrators who have the foresight of the current NFF President to build a befitting infrastructure for the national teams instead of using the FIFA Forward Funds for other purposes that will benefit him more than the players, coaches and officials of the teams.

In fact, Gusau has done what many Sports Federation Presidents in Nigeria and in some African countries can not do for reasons best known to them as rather than use the money provided by international sports organisations to develop the sports and provide infrastructure, the administrators will misuse or misapply the funds.

This is why Nigerians, especially football stakeholders, are pleased with Gusau-led NFF for the decision to use the FIFA Forward Funds to construct modern accommodation and training facilities for all the national teams of Nigeria with some of the dignitaries like Sunday Akin Dare, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria on Media and Public Communications/Spokesperson and Chairman of National Sports Commission (NSC) Mallam Shehu Dikko pouring encomium on Gusau for the initiative to build a football infrastructure for the national teams.

Also,the former Minister of Sports Development, Senator John  Ewan Enoh said: “This project showcases the steadfast commitment of both the NFF and FIFA to advancing Nigerian football. By investing in world-class infrastructure, they are laying the foundation for the continued growth of the sport in our country. In addition to improving the experience for both home-based and international players, this development will serve as a platform to nurture emerging talent, ensuring the next generation of football stars has access to the best possible resources”.

Enoh, a Special Guest at the historic occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony, also said: “this landmark initiative marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey to transform its football infrastructure and bring it in line with global standards”.

He argued that the establishment of the NFF-FIFA Players’ Hotel and the creation of modern training facilities are long-awaited steps toward addressing the critical need for top-tier amenities that support the well-being and development of our footballers. These new facilities will provide our athletes with an optimal environment for training and recovery, enhancing their preparation and overall performance.

According to him: “This project showcases the steadfast commitment of both the NFF and FIFA to advancing Nigerian football. By investing in world-class infrastructure, they are laying the foundation for the continued growth of the sport in our country. In addition to improving the experience for both home-based and international players, this development will serve as a platform to nurture emerging talent, ensuring the next generation of football stars has access to the best possible resources”.

He said that the ripple effects of this project will extend beyond football. It will stimulate economic growth through job creation, attract international teams for training camps, and position Nigeria as a leading hub for football excellence in Africa.

Said  he: “I am genuinely excited about the transformative impact this development will have not only on our football ecosystem but also on the wider sports industry in Nigeria”.

Speaking further, Enoh applauded the visionary leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation and FIFA for bringing this project to fruition, pointing out that “with ongoing investment and strategic partnerships, Nigerian football will continue to rise on the global stage, and we will see its full potential realized in the years to come”.

Harry Awurumibe, Football Analyst, Writes from Abuja