The Chairman of Ikorodu City FC, Sanmi Doherty, has called for a balanced approach to the ongoing reforms in Nigerian football, insisting that grassroots development and youth academies must take precedence over imposing high financial obligations on clubs.
His comments come in response to the declaration by the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, who recently stated that the 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season would commence regardless of the number of clubs ready to comply with the Commission’s new reform agenda.
Sports247 reports that Olopade reaffirmed the NSC’s commitment to raising professional standards through reforms focused on governance, club licensing, player welfare and commercial sustainability.
Reacting to the development, Doherty argued that sustainable football growth begins with investing in young talents rather than concentrating resources on expensive player salaries.
“If I have my way, I want to invest more in my academy and developmental programmes. I want to start from primary schools, secondary schools and even bring one or two players from the University of Lagos into the league,” he said.
He questioned the practicality of paying huge salaries to young student-athletes, warning that such an approach could derail their education.
“Should I be paying a 300-level student a ₦2 million salary? That’s not possible. I will destroy his education with that. We are telling them to stay in school and stay in sports.”
Doherty stressed that prioritising short-term success over player development could have long-term consequences for Nigerian football.
“If we ignore development and focus more on promotion, then we are planning to fail in the future. The future of football, or any sport in Nigeria, is to develop our facilities and encourage developmental programmes.”
Drawing comparisons with established football nations, he cited Germany’s model, where government support through grants, tax incentives and funding has strengthened both grassroots and elite sports.
“The German government provides financial support, tax breaks and grants for both elite and grassroots sports. To whom much is given, much is expected.”
The Ikorodu City chairman further cautioned against adopting policies that fail to reflect Nigeria’s realities, arguing that clubs should first be encouraged to establish sustainable academy structures before being compelled to commit huge financial resources to player wages.
“We’re not talking about why clubs should have their own academies and develop future talents. Instead, the emphasis is on paying ₦2 million for a player. If clubs invest so much in players, where will the money come from to develop academies? We have to do the right things first if we want the right results.”
Doherty’s remarks have added another dimension to the growing debate over the future direction of Nigerian football, with stakeholders continuing to weigh the balance between raising professional standards and building a sustainable foundation for long-term success.
