NFF Dissolution: Senate Says It Won’t Act Outside the Law, Raises Alarm Over Nigeria’s Football Decline

The Senate has refused to rule out action on growing calls for the dissolution of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following the country’s recent failures but says any decision it takes must comply with Nigerian law and FIFA statutes.

The position emerged after the Senate Committee on Sports, chaired by Senator Abdul Ningi, held an emergency meeting with National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko and NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau over the disappointing performances of Nigeria’s national teams.

Calls for the dissolution of the NFF have intensified following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Ningi, however, cautioned that the Senate could not simply act on the demands without considering the legal framework governing Nigerian football and its relationship with FIFA.

‘My concern is that whatever action we must do, we must do it within the limits of the law,’ Ningi said. ‘We must look at our laws, and we must also look at the FIFA statutes.’

The Senate committee chairman said the meeting was convened at the prompting of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who had expressed concern over the state of Nigerian sports, particularly football.

‘This meeting was a preamble to the explanation I will offer the Senate when it reconvenes next month on the state of sports and in particular, football in Nigeria today and steps being taken to reposition it for better results,’ Ningi said.

He also called on the NFF and NSC to close ranks, saying the two bodies were currently ‘wide apart’ and needed to work together to improve the performance of Nigeria’s national teams.

The Senate’s intervention follows mounting frustration over the national teams’ recent failures despite increased government support and financial incentives.

Ningi said the Federal Government had provided substantial motivation for athletes and officials, including $100,000 each to players and officials, while the sports budget had also been significantly increased.

‘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.

The Senate is expected to receive a fuller report on the state of Nigerian football when it reconvenes next month.

The emergency meeting is being viewed as an initial step towards identifying the causes of the national teams’ poor performances and determining possible measures to reposition Nigerian football.