Kenya and Nigeria got the same $10m from FIFA, but while Kenya built a near state-of-the-art football stadium, Nigeria masterminded an eyesore that is barely workable for an Inter-House Sports Competition.
When FIFA opened its cheque-book for the 211 member associations (MAs) under the Forward initiative, it meant to invest in football development, infrastructure and futures. Nigeria got approximately $10 million under this programme, earmarked for multiple projects including two major stadiums: a $2.4 million stadium in Delta State and a $1.2 million stadium in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
What’s the FIFA Forward Programme? I’m glad you asked. FIFA Forward was established to provide all-round, tailor made support for all its member associations. This support was targeted at football development in those countries.
However, for the NFF, the idea of football development was just a mere suggestion. What our football federation, under former president Amaju Pinnick, delivered with that $1.2m in Birnin Kebbi was a shower of horse manure. Rubbish, to put it mildly.
So much so that FIFA’s own official X page used an image of the dilapidated structure as its header. FIFA, in effect broadcast Nigeria’s failure as a cautionary tale. This isn’t just poor construction, it’s symbolic of chronic mismanagement of funds that has been a staple in Nigerian governments over the years, especially the NFF.
Funds Are Provided, But How Are They Used?
It’s not rumour, FIFA did provide $10m for the NFF to undertake football development projects, yet the Birnin Kebbi “mini stadium” built under the NFF’s stewardship is incomplete, substandard, and failing to meet basic expectations. Basic.
Let’s do a quick conversion, shall we? As of 2023 when the money entered NFF’s coffers, it amounted to approximately N762m. Even at that time, that money could and should have done a lot more than whatever we’re seeing in these photos.
While the Delta State project was promised $2.4m, reports show that the facility is far from world-class, and the contractor’s status remains murky. It may even be in a worse state than that of Kebbi. That is actually impressive, considering it’s double the Kebbi amount that was allocated to it, and that too is unaccounted for.
When a global body like FIFA gives funds with clear conditions and timelines, this kind of result damages both national reputation and donor trust.
International Bodies Can’t Trust Nigeria with Resources? I Wonder Why
Let’s see if we can come up with a few reasons why international bodies refuse to invest in Nigeria.
Track record of accountability fails
The NFF recently acknowledged allegations of mismanagement of FIFA/CAF funds. It stated all funds were “audited” and tied to specific projects. That response rings thin when projects visibly sit half-done. And we see the projects, so we know they’re incomplete.
Structural corruption embedded in football governance
Previous leadership of the NFF has been sacked for “financial misappropriation, misapplication and maladministration”. We’ve already had – at least – one NFF president sacked for this same reason. If those at the top cannot be trusted, funders become skeptical.
Misalignment of funds and delivery
$1.2m in a northern Nigerian state to build a stadium should yield visible results in building, quality, and use. Instead, what we have looks like a billboard facility, not a usable community hub. That gap triggers donor concerns: Are we funding football development, or funding officials’ lavish lifestyles?
Global benchmarking shows Nigeria doing worse than peers
According to the FIFA Forward breakdown, many MAs used their funds to build dozens of new pitches, competitions and youth pathways. Nigeria’s “two stadiums” headline stands out because the outcomes are so limited. So not only is Nigeria objectively doing poorly, it’s even worse when you compare with other countries.
Nigeria Continues to Fail the Youths…Deliberately
Let’s talk about the youth this infrastructure was supposed to serve.
A well-constructed stadium in Birnin Kebbi could have become a regional hub for football talent discovery, community sports, women’s leagues, and youth camps. Obviously that won’t be possible now, would it? These wasted funds represent lost empowerment opportunities.
When youth see budgets for facilities vanish into thin air, they get disillusioned. Sports becomes less a pathway out of poverty and more a broken promise. Nigeria’s inability to execute undermines private investment: local businesses, sponsors, and media partners will be hesitant to commit to programmes tied to NFF infrastructure when delivery is unreliable.
So not only does mismanagement on this level tarnish global reputations, it wastes futures.
Young Nigerians already suffer in the international job market just because of their country of origin. Scandals like this just reinforce the perception that everything Nigeria and Nigerians stand for boil down to ,deceit, underhandedness and shady dealings.
Forget National, It’s a Global Embarrassment
When FIFA uses the very image of the failed Birnin Kebbi facility as its header on social media, it’s signalling to the world, it’s essentially saying “Ladies and Gentlemen…Nigeria.” The fact that the header is still there as we speak, and the FIFA official X page has said nothing else on the matter, is damning. As if to say “There’s nothing else to be said”.
Nigeria’s football legacy is rich, but infrastructure shortcomings scream otherwise. While other African nations build and deliver pitches, stadiums and youth programmes, Nigeria’s headline is “$10m promise, nothing to show for it.”
And it’s not only about aesthetics. A half-finished stadium is unusable, unsafe, and vulnerable to decay. It risks becoming white-elephant infrastructure and a reminder of what could have been, not what is.
If the NFF Cares, Here’s What They Should Do
The current leadership of Nigeria’s apex footballing body now has a chance to redeem the image tarnished by Pinnick.
- Full disclosure of project budgets and timelines: The $1.2m and $2.4m allocations must be broken down publicly: contractor names, milestones, completion dates, and audit status. Name the responsible parties, if they exist. If the responsible party is NFF, then take responsibility.
- Independent audit and publication: FIFA requires this, yes, but Nigerian stakeholders need to demand it too. If the NFF truly worked with PwC as it claims, those reports should be accessible. And regularly too.
- Completion of promised infrastructure: Before new grants are sought, ensure deliverables are met. NFF should ensure it finishes the Birnin Kebbi stadium to FIFA-standard. If not the funds should be recovered and put to productive use.
- Youth-centric activation of infrastructure: Once built, a stadium is only useful if it’s regularly used. Youth leagues, women’s football, grassroots programmes. Hence, these must follow.
- Governance reform: Without structural changes in how the NFF makes decisions, allocates funds and oversees contractors, the cycle will repeat. The federation must set its priorities straight, so that this monumental embarrassment doesn’t continue.
Don’t Just Promise. Deliver. The Youths are Counting On It.
To every young Nigerian dreaming of football glory, this should hurt. The NFF, backed by billions of fans and dreams, and in naira, had a chance. A global football body invested in the promise of Nigeria. But when that promise is squandered, the cost isn’t just money, it’s hope, youth potential and national pride.
So yes, call it corruption, gross mismanagement or whatever. But don’t let the NFF and its apologists mask the real issue: FIFA provided $10m that should have been used for football development projects, but instead the NFF took the money and produced…nothing.
Until the NFF stands up, finishes what it promised and proves Africa’s giants can execute, Nigeria’s sports infrastructure will remain more meme than milestone, and the young Nigerians relying on it will remain the actual losers.
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