NFF REFORMS: NORMALISATION COMMITTEE MAY GET SIX-MONTH MANDATE AS FG PLANS MAJOR FOOTBALL OVERHAUL

-NFF Congress May Expand From 44 to 111 Members

Ohis Asein

The Federal Government is considering a major restructuring of Nigerian football, with discussions involving FIFA reportedly centred on the establishment of a Normalisation Committee that could be given a six-month mandate to reform the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and lay the foundation for the election of a new board.

The proposed arrangement is expected to focus on addressing some of the longstanding governance and structural challenges within Nigerian football while creating a more representative and credible football administration.

10-Year Football Master Plan to Continue

As part of the reform process, the Federal Government is expected to continue working with the 10-Year Football Master Plan developed during the tenure of former Sports Minister, Sunday Dare.

The plan, which was designed to provide a long-term roadmap for the development of Nigerian football, could now form an important component of the country's ongoing football reform programme.

Three-Year Fast-Track Framework

However, rather than waiting for the full 10-year period to implement the recommendations, the proposed Normalisation Committee is expected to compress key components of the master plan into a three-year fast-track implementation framework.

The objective would be to identify priority areas and deliver measurable reforms within a shorter period, particularly in football administration, development, competitions, infrastructure and grassroots development.

NFF Congress May Expand From 44 to 111 Members

One of the most significant proposed reforms is the planned expansion of the NFF Congress from its current 44 members to 111 members.

The proposed expansion is aimed at broadening representation within the highest decision-making body of the federation and reducing what has been described as the overwhelming influence of State Football Association chairmen.

The expanded Congress would potentially give greater representation to other critical stakeholders across the Nigerian football ecosystem, including different categories of clubs, leagues and other relevant football constituencies.

Focus on a New Electoral Process

The six-month proposal would ultimately pave the way for a fresh electoral process and the emergence of a new NFF board under a reformed structure.

The broader objective of the proposed intervention is to establish a more inclusive, transparent, accountable and sustainable football administration system capable of driving Nigerian football forward.

If implemented, the proposed reforms could represent one of the most significant attempts in recent years to fundamentally restructure the governance architecture of Nigerian football.