President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON), has given fresh updates on the FIFA Forward project, which had its groundbreaking ceremony in March this year at the Goal Project section of Package B, MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The project includes;
- the construction of modern hostel accommodation for Nigeria’s national teams, as well as
- two standard football pitches (one natural turf and one synthetic turf) for training and camping purposes.
Gusau explained that embarking on the project was both necessary and long overdue, as it would drastically reduce the federation’s dependence on expensive hotel accommodations and free up resources for other pressing needs.
Accommodation Costs a Huge Burden – Ibrahim Gusau
According to the NFF president, as much as 80–90 percent of the federation’s limited revenue is currently spent on hotel bills whenever the national teams are in camp.
“A lot of resources that came into the presentation from our little sources of revenue, almost 80 to 90 percent of it goes to hotel accommodation for our teams, which obviously is making it very difficult for us to attend to certain other issues,” Gusau revealed.
He further explained that the heavy spending on hotels often affects the federation’s ability to prioritize important matters such as players’ allowances and coaches’ welfare.
Welfare and Preparation Come First – Ibrahim Gusau Declares
Highlighting the federation’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for players, Gusau noted:
“When it comes to the issue of their allowances, the issue of our coaches’ welfare and the rest of it, because one of the key primary things for us is to make sure that we have a conducive campaign for the players before you think of other teams.”
He noted that without adequate preparation, it would be difficult for the national teams to achieve success in tournaments.
“It is only when they are prepared well and they go for tournaments that they can even claim something,” he said.
Nigeria Must Not Be Left Behind
The NFF boss, however, expressed his concern over the state of football infrastructure in Nigeria compared to other nations with fewer resources.
“And secondly, when you go to other countries that are even not up to the level of Nigeria as a country, when you see their people-powered projects where they used to accommodate and camp their players, you feel ashamed as a Nigerian,” Gusau lamented.
A Long Overdue Project
With construction already underway, the FIFA Forward project is expected to significantly transform how Nigeria’s national teams are camped and trained.
President Ibrahim Gusau believes that upon completion, the facilities will save costs, boost player morale, and ensure that attention is channeled towards improving other critical areas of Nigerian football.
