Head of Education at the Nigeria Football Federation, Terry Eguaoje, has acknowledged that Nigeria is still lagging behind several countries in the area of coaching education, but insists that steps are already being taken to bridge the gap.
Eguaoje explained that modern football has become increasingly technical and scientific, making proper coaching education essential for the growth of the game.
“We must admit that Nigeria is still behind many countries when it comes to coaching education,” he said.
However, he noted that the federation has started making deliberate efforts to improve the quality of coaching within the country through structured training programmes and certification courses.
According to him, several Nigerian coaches have recently travelled abroad to upgrade their knowledge and obtain higher coaching qualifications, while the federation has also begun organising more Confederation of African Football coaching courses locally.
“Some Nigerian coaches have gone abroad for advanced training, but we are also bringing more CAF courses to Nigeria,” Eguaoje explained.
As part of the development plan, he revealed that Nigeria is scheduled to host a CAF B Licence refresher course in 2026, alongside plans to organise a CAF A Licence course within the same year.
Eguaoje added that the long-term goal of the federation is to host the prestigious CAF Pro Licence programme by 2027, which represents the highest coaching qualification in African football.
“Our goal is to eventually host the CAF Pro Licence programme in Nigeria,” he said.
The NFF education chief credited the leadership of the federation for supporting the initiative, stressing that improving coaching education will ultimately benefit the country’s domestic leagues and national teams.
“Better coaches will produce better players and stronger teams,” Eguaoje concluded.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts by Nigerian football authorities to modernise coaching standards and align the country with global football development practices.
