Nigerian Football
TOP SERIE A SIDE, AS ROMA PARTNERS WITH NIGERIA
The Nigerian Football Federation on Friday announced a multi-year partnership it secured with top Italian football club, AS Roma.
According to a press release, the partnership, will see the NFF and Roma collaborate both on and off the pitch, with one long term objective being for the club to help further grow and improve all levels of football in Nigeria.
Under the terms of the understanding, the two parties will share football, business and media expertise, with Roma offering the NFF technical and operational support and advice in the areas of youth coaching, player development, football administration and digital media best practices.
In return, the NFF will also collaborate with the AS Roma in their projects and development initiatives in Nigeria.
In the coming months, senior NFF officials will travel to the Italian capital to observe Roma’s award-winning youth academy.
As technical advisors in player development, Roma will work with the NFF to help introduce best practices for developing elite talent in order to improve the quality of players available to our domestic clubs and indeed national squad at all age groups.
Roma will also host knowledge-sharing sessions on football business and administration in Rome and set up digital and social media workshops in Nigeria for local clubs and officials.
On hand at the unveiling ceremony were NFF President Amaju Pinnick and his Vice Presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko alongside the entire Board members of the NFF and AS Roma’s Head of Academy, Massimo Tarantino and Paul Rogers, Head of Strategy at Roma.
Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olusade Adesola were on hand to also endorses the partnership.
“We are excited about this unique partnership with AS Roma,” said NFF President Amaju Pinnick.
“We have put in a lot of work to move our federation into a globally recognized space in-spite of the avoidable distractions and the fact that Roma chose to partner with Nigeria over any other federation in Africa is an indicator of how much respect our brand and this country has in the world of international football. Roma is one of the most respected football clubs in the world, with a very good reputation for consistently developing talented young players. We feel that this partnership can be incredibly beneficial for the Nigerian national team at all age levels and Nigerian football as a whole. Roma have shown an incredible support for the Super Eagles and have fully embraced Nigerian football fans, even launching a Pidgin Twitter account, and we look forward to unveiling the exciting projects and initiatives this partnership will unlock.”
Manolo Zubiria, Chief Global Sport Officer at AS Roma, added: “This promises to be an exciting and ground-breaking partnership for both parties.
“This club is known throughout football for having one of the most accomplished youth development programmes in the world and in recent years, Roma has developed more players who’ve gone on to play professionally than any other club in Italy.
“Nigeria is a real football nation and we’re looking forward to sharing best practices in elite talent development and football business and administration with the Nigerian Football Federation.
“We’re also open to working with the NFF and their partners to assess the feasibility of one day opening an official AS Roma academy in Nigeria.”
The two parties have also agreed to explore the possibility of AS Roma playing an exhibition match in Nigeria – something that club president Jim Pallotta has championed for some time.
“This partnership is the natural evolution of the great relationship between the NFF and Roma that began when Roma announced that with Italy absent from the World Cup, we would be supporting Nigeria,” said Paul Rogers, who travel to Abuja along side Massimo Tarantino to agree the partnership.
“Roma’s digital team began working with the Super Eagles in 2018 on their social media coverage of the World Cup and earlier this year, we again worked with Nigeria during the Africa Cup of Nations.
Through our unique use of social media, and initially using the hashtag #ForzaSuperEagles, we’ve developed an incredible and fun rapport with Nigerian football fans, media and celebrities and earlier this year we became the first club outside of Nigeria to launch an official Pidgin account, which is managed in Lagos.
Jim Pallotta, Roma’s President, has made no secret of his wish to see Roma play a match in Nigeria as a thank you to the Nigerian fans for the support they have shown us and it would be great if through this partnership, we can make that happen.”
Nigerian Football
NSC, Edo FA Back Ikhana Football Academy, Set to Adopt Model for Youth Development
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, and the Edo State Football Association have pledged strong institutional support for the newly launched Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy (KIFA), describing it as a model for grassroots football development in Nigeria.
The commitment was made during the official unveiling of the academy in Auchi, Edo State, on Saturday, where stakeholders praised the initiative of former Nigerian international, Kadiri Ikhana.
Represented at the event by his aide, Ebidowei Oweife, Olopade commended Ikhana for establishing an academy that integrates football training with formal education, noting that the Commission intends to nurture and replicate the model across the country.
“We are happy that a person of the calibre of Coach Kadiri Ikhana has taken this initiative. He is not only a member of the historic 1980 Green Eagles squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations but also the first Nigerian coach to win the CAF Champions League with Enyimba,” Olopade said.
Declaring the project a priority, the NSC boss added, “The academy is our baby, and we shall adopt it. We are particularly impressed that it combines football with schooling. We want the students to take their education seriously alongside their football careers. The NSC will definitely support this project.”
Also throwing its weight behind the initiative, the Edo State Football Association described the academy as a significant step toward youth empowerment and football development in the state.
Chairman of the association, Fred Newton, who was represented at the ceremony, praised Ikhana for investing his experience and knowledge in grooming the next generation of players.
“We are delighted that you have chosen to give back by shaping young talents in Edo State. This initiative will have a lasting impact not only in Edo North but across the entire state. We are fully behind you and will support you in achieving your goals,” Newton stated.
The Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy is expected to serve as a hub for nurturing young football talents while ensuring their academic growth, aligning with broader efforts to create a more structured and sustainable pathway for sports development in Nigeria.
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By Kunle Solaja.
For the fourth time, the elective congress of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, will be held in September. It is a pattern that evolved in Warri in 2014 when Amaju Pinnick was elected on 30 September.
Four years later in Katsina, another elective congress was held in Katsina on September 20. Four years ago in Benin, the 30 September election brought in Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
Another September fever is in the offing as the NFF will hold its next Elective Congress on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State.
The decision was ratified by the NFF Extraordinary General Assembly at its meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as part of resolutions aimed at setting the stage for the federation’s next leadership cycle.
The Elective Congress will determine the composition of the NFF Executive Committee, including the election of a president and other key officials to steer the affairs of Nigerian football for the next term.
By fixing both the date and venue several months in advance, the federation is expected to provide ample time for electoral preparations, including the nomination of candidates, screening processes and compliance with provisions of the NFF Statutes and Electoral Code.
The choice of Lafia underscores the NFF’s continued rotation of major football events across different parts of the country, while also aligning with efforts to ensure a transparent and orderly electoral process.
Further details regarding the election timetable and guidelines are expected to be released by the NFF Electoral Committee in the coming months.
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Nigerian Football
NFF Congress Approves Statutes Amendments, Electoral Committees Ahead of 2026 Elections
The Extraordinary General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has approved sweeping reforms to its governing framework, including amendments to its statutes and electoral processes, as preparations intensify for the federation’s 2026 elections.
At the meeting held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Congress unanimously endorsed proposals from the NFF Executive Committee to amend the NFF Statutes (March 2026 Edition), the Electoral Code and the Standing Orders of the General Assembly.
In a major step toward the next electoral cycle, Congress also ratified the composition of both the NFF Electoral Committee and the Electoral Appeals Committee. The decision followed nominations by leaders of the country’s six geopolitical zones, with 12 individuals selected to serve across the two bodies.
Those appointed include Matthew Burkala (SAN) and Emmanuel Dada Obafemi (North Central); Alhaji Babagoni Grema and Barrister Benjamin Sak (North East); Bature Musa and Professor Abdulmalik Awwal (North West); Justice C.J. Aneke and Arinze Azubuike Anughere (South East); Akogun Olugbenga Omole and Abayomi Akin Omoyimi (South West); as well as Ayibaye Peter Great Temedie (Esq.) and Ayi Ekpo Ukpayam (South South).
The members are scheduled to be inaugurated in Abuja on March 25, 2026, where they will constitute the two committees and elect their respective chairmen. In line with the Electoral Code, the Electoral Committee will comprise five full members and two alternates, while the Appeals Committee will have three full members and two alternates.
Congress further approved the appointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the new independent auditor of the federation for an initial four-year term, following what was described as a rigorous selection process involving seven firms. The Assembly commended outgoing auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for their nine years of service.
Looking ahead, the Congress fixed September 26, 2026, for the NFF Elective Congress, which will take place in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
In addition, members passed a unanimous vote of confidence in the NFF Executive Committee led by President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, praising its efforts in promoting and developing football across Nigeria.
The communiqué was drafted by a committee chaired by Mohammed Nasir Saidu, with Hajji Gafaar Liameed, Davidson Owumi, Yakubu Salma, Coach Ladan Bosso and Dr Ademola Olajire serving as members.
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