Nigeria planning six new football stadia

Article posted by Coliseum, November 15^th, 2024

Image: Abuja National Stadium, Zilzy, CC BY-SA 4.0

Nigeria is aiming to build six new football stadia as the West African nation looks to rejuvenate football in the country.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, outlined a comprehensive vision to boost Nigerian football during a meeting with the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Club Owners Association.

The Sun News said that the session, attended by top league stakeholders, highlighted ambitious plans to elevate the NPFL into a pivotal force in Nigeria’s sports economy.

This would be done with a focus on youth development and community welfare, as well as with the establishment of new infrastructure.

The NPFL (formerly the Nigerian Professional Football League) is the highest level of club football in the Nigerian football league system.

Addressing the country’s stadium shortage, which currently includes only one internationally compliant venue, Dikko announced plans to build six high-quality stadiums, one in each geopolitical zone.

He said, “The focus we have over time is to have at least one stadium with full compliance with FIFA regulations in each of the zones, so that we have a minimum of six stadiums across the country at every point in time, ready to host any international tournament within two weeks of notice.

“These are the kind of visions we have and things we should be able to deliver, but the immediate priority will be to get the Abuja stadium working and develop a framework too for the National stadium in Lagos to start working much better.”

In a move welcomed by the Club Owners Association as vital for competitiveness, Dikko said, “This will reduce dependency on foreign venues and position Nigeria to host international events.”

Dikko re-asserted his commitment to the league, describing the NPFL as “the critical lever” for advancing Nigerian sports.

He said, “We must make the league work. If the league works, everything works,” stressing the importance of the NPFL as a foundation for sustainable sports growth.

Dikko shared his belief in the league’s broader economic potential, noting that “When the elite league flourishes, the sports economy gets a boost.”

He emphasized that a successful NPFL could open financial opportunities across the sports sector, providing a benchmark for standards nationwide.

Youth development also featured prominently in the discussions. Dikko proposed collaboration with state governors to support programs aimed at nurturing young talent.

He said, “Relegation and winning titles is not everything. It is about discovering and developing young players.”

His vision includes establishing a robust pipeline for future Nigerian football stars.

With President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressing strong support for the league, Dikko added that, “The president is very interested in getting the league working.”

This high-level backing, he added, should help attract investments to propel Nigerian football to global competitiveness.

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