The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to set up a special investigative committee to probe the alleged mismanagement of over $25 million in financial grants received by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) between 2015 and 2025.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance during plenary, jointly sponsored by Adedayo Adesola (Lagos) and Felix Nwaeke (Rivers).
The motion, titled “Motion to Stop Further Misuse of FIFA and CAF Grants by the Nigerian Football Federation,” alleged that years of poor accountability by the NFF had contributed significantly to the dwindling performance of Nigeria’s national teams.
Audit Queries and Past Allegations
Adesola, while leading debate on the motion, recalled that in December 2016, FIFA raised an audit query over the mishandling of a $1.1 million development grant to the NFF, revealing that $802,000 lacked proper documentation. The then Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, subsequently ordered an independent audit to trace how the funds were utilised.
He added that between 2018 and 2019, NFF officials including then-President Amaju Pinnick faced scrutiny from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged mismanagement of sponsorship and development funds.
Adesola cited one recent case involving $1.2 million purportedly used to build a mini-stadium in Birnin Kebbi, which he described as “substandard” and not commensurate with the funds reportedly spent.
Call for Accountability
“The House is concerned that despite repeated grants and development support from FIFA and CAF, our football structures remain underdeveloped,” Adesola said.
“With another Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers approaching, decisive action must be taken to stop further misuse of public and international funds.”
The motion also referenced comments by former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh, who recently accused the NFF of misappropriating FIFA funds meant for World Cup preparations — a claim dating back to the $1 million FIFA grant for the 2002 tournament.
House Resolution
The motion was unanimously adopted during the session presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. The House resolved to:
- Constitute a special investigative committee to probe NFF’s financial activities from 2015 to date.
- Summon the NFF leadership to appear before the committee with supporting documents detailing all receipts and expenditures of FIFA and CAF grants.
Lawmakers also reaffirmed the need for transparency and stronger oversight in Nigeria’s sports administration, stressing that accountability was key to restoring public trust and improving the nation’s football fortunes.