CAF’s acting general secretary toured the new NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel in Abuja and came away calling it a foundation that could produce Nigeria’s next generation of stars.
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CAF acting general secretary Samson Adamu has commended the Nigeria Football Federation’s leadership under president Ibrahim Musa Gusau after inspecting the ongoing NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel and new training pitches at Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Adamu toured the site on Monday and said he was struck by the scale and quality of the build, describing it as a legacy investment that will shape Nigerian football for years to come. He said the facility would give young talents a solid base and strengthen the country’s football structures going forward.
Speaking on his connection to the project as a Nigerian, Adamu said seeing the scale of what is being constructed filled him with pride and that the facility could help produce the next generation of stars in the mould of Jay-Jay Okocha.
He stressed the importance of a country the size of Nigeria having infrastructure that can house all its national teams and age grade sides under one roof, bringing talented players from across the country together to be developed. Adamu congratulated the NFF leadership for pushing the project through.
The CAF official was in Abuja on a working visit tied to preparations for an upcoming CAF Congress and the CAF Awards, both of which the confederation plans to host in Nigeria. He thanked the NFF and the federal government for their hospitality during the trip, noting that despite Nigeria being home turf for him, the reception still stood out.
Gusau Says Project On Course Despite Deadline Pressure
NFF president Gusau used the inspection to reaffirm the Federation’s commitment to finishing the project on schedule. He disclosed that the construction contract runs for two years, with work now 15 months in since it began in March 2025, leaving roughly nine months to completion.
Gusau said he was confident the contractors would meet the deadline, adding that one of the artificial pitches is already about 80 percent complete while other components of the project progress alongside it. He noted the natural grass pitch will soon be fully rooted before attention turns to internal finishing work across the facility.
The NFF boss said the project’s closeness to the Federation’s headquarters allows for regular inspections, and that the Federation would keep working with stakeholders to ensure steady progress. He said he was satisfied with the pace and quality of work so far and pledged continued support for the contractors through to completion.
📌 Did You Know?
- The NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel sits at Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium complex in Abuja, close to NFF headquarters.
- Construction on the project began in March 2025 under a two-year contract timeline.
- Jay-Jay Okocha, the player Adamu referenced, remains one of Nigeria’s most celebrated attacking midfielders and a former Bundesliga and Premier League star.
- CAF has been exploring Nigeria as a host for its Congress and the CAF Awards, which would bring continental football administrators to Abuja.
- The hostel project is designed to accommodate Nigeria’s senior national teams as well as age-grade squads in one facility.
- Ibrahim Musa Gusau took over as NFF president after being elected to lead the Federation’s board.
- Samson Adamu is currently serving as CAF’s acting general secretary, overseeing the confederation’s administrative operations.
