Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, has declared that the time has come for a new approach to the administration of Nigerian football, insisting that the country must repair its broken system if the sport is to thrive again.
Dikko made the remarks while receiving members of the Nigeria Football Federation Congress, who paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja following the resignation of former NFF president Ibrahim Musa Gusau and members of his Executive Committee.
The NSC chairman said football occupies a unique position in Nigerian society and that the failures affecting the sport cannot simply be ignored because of the millions of people emotionally invested in the national teams.
“The time has come for a new look in how we run football in the country,” Dikko said.
“Football is the number one sport in Nigeria, and anything that affects the emotions of millions of Nigerians needs to be addressed.”
His comments come at a defining moment for Nigerian football after Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the NFF Executive Committee resigned amid growing pressure following a succession of disappointing results by the national teams.
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons suffered the historic disappointment of missing the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time since the tournament began.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has subsequently directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, specifically identifying governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability as areas requiring urgent attention.
Dikko, who has been placed at the centre of the reform process, told the NFF Congress members that running Nigerian sport should be regarded as a privilege and that anyone entrusted with responsibility must be prepared to accept accountability.
“It is a privilege to run sports in Nigeria,” he said.
“Those in positions should take responsibility and play their roles effectively.”
The NSC chairman believes the current situation provides Nigerian football with an opportunity to confront problems that have accumulated over many years rather than simply replacing individuals and continuing with the same structures.
“The system is broken and needs to be repaired in order for the sport to thrive going forward,” Dikko said.
The meeting with the NFF Congress is particularly significant because Congress remains one of the key stakeholders in determining the future structure of the federation.
The Congress has since publicly welcomed President Tinubu’s directive for comprehensive reform and pledged its full support for the process, saying Nigerian football requires an urgent “hard reset” in governance, transparency, accountability, stakeholder representation and development.
Dikko has also previously called for far-reaching reforms to ensure greater accountability, progress and inclusivity within Nigerian football, while emphasising the need to align reforms with international football standards and Nigeria’s own realities.
The current transition follows the suspension of the NFF’s September 27 elective congress, with the federation now operating under interim arrangements while the government, NFF stakeholders, FIFA and CAF work towards a reform roadmap.
For Dikko, however, the ultimate objective is bigger than an election or a change of leadership.
He wants a football system capable of matching Nigeria’s enormous talent and passion for the sport with effective governance, proper development structures and accountability.
The NSC chairman therefore urged the Congress members to see the present crisis as an opportunity rather than simply a setback.
With the NFF leadership gone and a comprehensive reform process now underway, Dikko believes Nigerian football has reached a crossroads.
And his message to those entrusted with rebuilding the game is clear: Nigeria cannot continue running football the same way and expect different results — the broken system must be repaired, and the time for a new look has arrived.
