Former Nigeria international Emmanuel Babayaro has expressed pessimism about the future of Nigerian football, insisting that the country’s recurring problems will persist despite the Nigeria Football Federation’s decision to establish a fact-finding committee.
The NFF recently constituted a six-member fact-finding committee to examine the recent setbacks suffered by Nigeria’s national teams and identify the factors responsible for the poor results.
Babayaro, however, does not believe another committee will produce the changes Nigerian football needs.
The former Super Eagles goalkeeper argued that similar concerns have been raised repeatedly over the years, with committees and reviews often established after major failures without producing lasting reforms.
According to Babayaro, the problem is not a lack of awareness of what is wrong with Nigerian football, but the failure to place competent and properly qualified stakeholders in positions where they can implement meaningful changes.
“We have been talking about these problems for years. Until competent stakeholders take charge, things will continue to remain the same.”
Babayaro has consistently advocated for greater emphasis on developing Nigerian football from within. In previous comments, he called on the NFF and National Sports Commission to give more opportunities to indigenous coaches and argued that Nigeria must strengthen its production of homegrown players rather than rely heavily on foreign-based talent.
His latest assessment comes at a difficult time for Nigerian football, following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons’ historic failure to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
The setbacks have triggered renewed debate over the effectiveness of the country’s football administration, with several former internationals calling for structural and leadership changes.
Babayaro believes another fact-finding exercise will not address the underlying problems unless its recommendations are followed by concrete action.
He has also confirmed his intention to contest a seat on the NFF Board at the federation’s September elective congress, meaning his criticism comes alongside a stated willingness to become directly involved in football administration.
*Babayaro’s position is that Nigerian football needs competent leadership, stronger domestic development structures and practical reforms rather than another cycle of committees and reports.*
