NFF REFORM: STATE FAs MUST BE RESTRUCTURED TO DRIVE GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT

By Gesinde Adedeji Amosa, FCIPDM

The ongoing reform of Nigerian football must extend beyond the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and include a comprehensive restructuring of State Football Associations (FAs) to make them effective engines of grassroots football development, sports administrator and writer, Gesinde Adedeji Amosa, has said.

Amosa, in a commentary on the current crisis and reform process in Nigerian football, argued that any restructuring that stops at the NFF headquarters in Abuja would fail to address the fundamental problems affecting the country’s football ecosystem.

According to him, State FAs remain the critical link between the national football administration and grassroots football and must therefore be given clearer responsibilities, stronger structures and measurable development targets.

He said the reform conversation should move away from the traditional focus on “who gets elected” to the more important question of “who represents Nigerian football and what do they contribute to its development?”

Amosa proposed that every State FA should be required to develop and implement an annual football development plan covering key areas including grassroots football, school competitions, women’s football, youth leagues, coaching education, referee development, football academies, local government competitions, talent identification, club development, infrastructure and financial accountability.

He stressed that a State FA should not exist simply to conduct elections or participate in NFF politics, but must be judged by its impact on football development within its state.

“A national football reform that stops at Abuja will fail. The State FAs are the bridge between national administration and grassroots football,” Amosa stated.

He argued that the proposed reforms should create a functional football development pyramid that connects local communities with State FAs and the national system.

Under the proposed model, local government competitions would serve as a foundation for identifying and developing young talents, with pathways leading from grassroots football to state competitions, regional and national youth leagues, professional clubs and eventually the national teams.

Amosa suggested that Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas could form the foundation of a properly organised national grassroots football structure, with competitions at U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-19 levels.

He said such a system would provide young footballers with a clear pathway while enabling State FAs to take responsibility for identifying and nurturing talents within their respective jurisdictions.

The football reform advocate also called for the revival of school football, stressing that the country’s education and football systems must be reconnected.

He proposed greater collaboration among the relevant education authorities, the National Sports Commission, NFF, State FAs and school sports administrators to establish a coordinated national school football programme.

Amosa further called for stronger development programmes for coaches and referees, including meaningful licensing, continuous professional development and merit-based appointments.

He maintained that referees must also be protected from political interference if Nigeria is to build a credible football system.

On governance, Amosa argued that the restructuring of Nigerian football must be institutional rather than personality-driven.

He warned against turning the current reform process into another political settlement in which one group simply replaces another without changing the structures responsible for the problems confronting Nigerian football.

He said the objective should be to build institutions capable of surviving changes in leadership and personalities.

The writer also advocated greater representation of football stakeholders in the NFF Congress, suggesting a model that would give voices to coaches, referees, sports writers, players, club representatives, supporters, sponsors, school sports, physical education practitioners, licensed players’ agents and football academy owners, among others.

However, he cautioned that any restructuring of the NFF Congress must comply with the legal and international framework governing Nigerian football, including Nigeria’s obligations to FIFA and CAF.

Amosa stressed that football reform should not amount to government control of football, but should instead promote independent football administration with stronger accountability, transparency and institutional governance.

He said the current crisis provides Nigeria with an opportunity to move from a personality-driven football system to an institution-driven model.

According to him, the success of the reform should ultimately not be measured by the number of officials removed or appointed, but by whether the Nigerian footballer, particularly the young player at the grassroots, has access to a credible pathway to develop.

He therefore called for a comprehensive reform that would restructure the State FAs, rebuild grassroots football, revive school football, strengthen domestic leagues, protect players, professionalise coaching and refereeing, improve financial transparency and make football administrators accountable.

“Nigeria has the talent. The system must catch up,” Amosa said, stressing that the country needs a new football system rather than another change of guards.