A high-level Nigerian delegation travelled to FIFA’s Zurich headquarters this week for talks on the institutional future of the country’s football.
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FIFA president Gianni Infantino has described a meeting with a Nigerian delegation in Zurich as successful, Complete Sports reports, citing a statement from the National Sports Commission’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Dr Keninde Amati.
The delegation, led by NSC chairman Shehu Dikko, met Infantino on Tuesday at FIFA’s headquarters. According to the statement, the discussions centred on institutional, governance and developmental issues affecting Nigerian football, alongside opportunities to deepen the country’s ongoing collaboration with FIFA.
Infantino said he was glad to sit down with the delegation to hold what he described as important discussions and align on a shared vision for football in the country. He said the conversation went beyond immediate competitions, extending into the institutional foundations needed for a stronger, more sustainable football ecosystem, and that both sides explored areas where FIFA could further support the game’s growth in Nigeria while emphasising the need for clearer pathways for young players.
NSC Frames It As Part Of A Wider Reform Process
NSC Director General Bukola Olopade, who was also part of the delegation, said the Zurich engagement reflected the commission’s approach of working with international football bodies and key domestic stakeholders to ensure reforms align with global best practice while addressing Nigeria’s specific development needs. Olopade described the meeting as another step in an ongoing process aimed at strengthening Nigerian football’s institutions, governance and development pathways.
A Broad Delegation
Other officials who travelled to Zurich included Amaju Pinnick, Special Adviser to the CAF President and Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Men’s National Teams’ Competitions Committee, NFF Acting General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, and the NFF’s Director of Legal Services, Okey Obi. Also present were CAF Second Vice President Kurt-Okraku and FIFA’s Director of Member Associations for Africa, Gelson Fernandes.
