The Senate has raised concerns over Nigeria’s declining fortunes in international football after the Super Eagles missed the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons failed to secure qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
The Senate Committee on Sports on Wednesday held an emergency meeting with the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, and the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau, in Abuja.
The meeting, which took place in the office of the committee chairman, Senator Abdul Ningi, was convened following concerns raised by Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the state of Nigerian sports.
Ningi said Akpabio had specifically sought explanations on the challenges facing football and directed the committee to examine the situation ahead of the Senate’s resumption next month.
He described the meeting as an initial step towards preparing a report that would be presented to the Senate on the condition of the country’s sports sector, particularly football.
A major issue considered during the meeting, according to Ningi, was the reported strained relationship between the NSC and the NFF.
The senator urged the two organisations to resolve their differences and work together in the interest of Nigerian football.
“I called them to close ranks, that is, the Nigerian Football Federation and the National Sports Commission, because as it is today, they are wide apart,” he said.
Ningi also questioned why Nigeria had continued to record disappointing results despite what he described as increased government investment in sports.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu had provided financial incentives to players and officials while also increasing funding for the sports sector.
The senator cited the President’s reported $100,000 financial support for players and officials, arguing that the government had demonstrated significant commitment to the development of sports.
He further said the budget allocated to the sports ministry had increased substantially under the current administration.
Ningi described Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as a major disappointment, saying the Super Falcons’ inability to secure a place at the 2027 tournament had compounded the situation.
“We were all pained when we couldn’t be in the World Cup in the United States and further pained by the failure of Super Falcons to make it to Brazil next year,” he said.
Amid calls from some stakeholders for the NFF to be dissolved or restructured, the committee chairman said any decision by the Senate would have to comply with Nigerian law and the statutes governing international football.
“Whatever action we must do, we must do it within the limits of the law. We must look at our laws, and we must also look at the FIFA statutes,” Ningi said.
The Senate Committee on Sports is expected to submit its findings when the National Assembly resumes next month. The report is expected to outline measures aimed at addressing the institutional and administrative challenges affecting Nigerian football and improving the country’s performance in international competitions.
