Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko has said that the future of Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, will be determined solely by the NFF.
Chelle, who took charge of the national team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, has come under increasing criticism following Nigeria’s stuttering campaign.
There have been calls from sections of the public for his dismissal, but Dikko made it clear that the commission will only act on recommendations from the NFF.
“It’s the responsibility of the Nigerian Football Federation to decide at the end of the day,” Dikko explained.
“After they conclude their analysis, they will recommend to us, and we will either approve, disapprove, or engage further on the matter. It is not the commission’s role to directly call for his sack.”
Dikko reflected on the team’s performances under Chelle, noting both progress and shortcomings.
He pointed out that when Chelle came on board, Nigeria had managed just three points from a possible 12. Since then, the Super Eagles have picked up eight points from four matches.
Also read: Chelle Blames ‘Lack of Experience’ for Super Eagles Early CHAN Exit
“If we had this form earlier, we would probably be preparing for the World Cup by now,” he admitted.
“But we must be fair and factual. Based on the numbers, qualification is no longer in our hands. All we can do is win our next two games and hope results elsewhere go our way. Anything can happen in football.”
Despite the slim chances, Dikko maintained that there is still hope, urging Nigerians to stay behind the team as the qualification campaign heads into its final phase.
