Former Nigerian international goalkeeper Emmanuel Babayaro has called on the Federal Government to extend ongoing reforms in Nigerian football to other sporting disciplines, insisting that the country’s sports development agenda must not revolve around football alone.
Babayaro believes a comprehensive approach is necessary to discover and nurture talented athletes across the country, arguing that other sports deserve the same level of attention given to football.
His appeal comes amid ongoing discussions over reforms within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following consultations involving FIFA, the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Nigerian football stakeholders.
The former goalkeeper acknowledged football’s popularity and importance in Nigeria but maintained that the country possesses considerable potential in other sports that must not be neglected.
He stressed that meaningful reform should create opportunities for athletes across different disciplines, rather than concentrate resources and administrative attention on the nation’s most popular sport.
Babayaro’s intervention comes as the NSC continues efforts to strengthen the administration of national sports federations.
On October 15, the Commission inaugurated new boards for the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Nigeria Arm Wrestling Federation, Nigeria Padel Federation and Nigeria Fencing Federation, charging officials to prioritise accountability, grassroots participation and athlete development.
The Federal Government has also announced plans to upgrade sporting infrastructure, including facilities intended to serve multiple disciplines. <Cite refs={[“turn551810search1″,”turn551810search4”]}/>
Babayaro believes such initiatives should form part of a broader strategy that gives athletes in less prominent sports a fair opportunity to develop and compete internationally.
He maintained that Nigeria’s sporting achievements have never been limited to football, making it essential for government policies to recognise the contributions and potential of athletes across the sector.
The former international’s position adds to growing calls for sustained investment in talent identification, infrastructure and effective administration beyond the football system.
For Babayaro, the success of Nigeria’s sports reforms should ultimately be measured by improvements across all disciplines, not football alone.
